London’s music venues are under threat. At least they were until the music industry joined forces with the mayor of London and developers to create a task force that will examine the causes of the closures of many historic music venues and what could be done to reverse the decline.
Between 2007 and 2015, London lost 35% of its grass roots music venues, leaving just 88 today. Since the 1950s, London has been a breeding ground for new artists, many of whom – such as The Who, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie – went on to become global superstars.
But despite Britain’s musical heritage, venues have struggled. A number of external factors have contributed to their closure, including London’s rising population and the need for more housing, which has pushed up residential values.
Similarly, commercial values have risen.
