THE co-owner of Southend’s most well-known music venue has claimed a slash in business rates relief as part of the budget will make it “more challenging to remain open.”
Glyn Morgan, who co-runs Chinnerys in Marine Parade, has spoken of the “massive impact” the slashing of the discount Government’s business rates relief for grassroots venues from 75 per cent to 40 per cent will have on the nightspot.
Announced by Rachel Reeves in Wednesday’s budget speech, Mr Morgan has claimed the reduction in the rates relief along with energy costs, increased costs to employ staff with a national insurance increase from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent, will cost the venue an additional £20,000 a year.
Mr Morgan said: “It will definitely make it more challenging to remain open and the biggest thing the Government could do would be to hold the business rates relief reduction to 75 per cent.
“We are pretty much one of the last truly independently run music venues in the whole of Essex.
“Numerous bands have cut their teeth through the venue let alone the number of Southend artists such as Nothing But Thieves, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, The Horrors, where would they be now had they not had the stage to get out and hone their craft and learn their trade.
“In turn the amount of money that these artists have then generated for the UK economy, in addition to this, many people travel from afar for our larger shows and stay in local hotels bringing revenue into the town.”
The Music Venue Trust, which advocates for grassroots venues, has claimed more than 350 businesses are “now placed at immediate risk of closure representing the potential loss of more than 12,000 jobs, more than £250million in economic activity and the loss of more than 75,000 live music events”.
On the “penny off a pint” cut to draught duty by 1.7 per cent, Mr Morgan added: “It really makes little difference to us, the profit on a pint is negligible and it will be offset by the increase in wine and spirits.
“It really seems as though it’s a token gesture, that said, they didn’t increase it, so it all helps.
“Venues are such a huge part of the musical landscape of the UK, 99 per cent of bands that are selling out huge stadiums and arenas all started in smaller grassroots venues, without these stages and environments to allow these artists to grow, would they be where they are at now without this grassroots venue ecosystem?”
However, Robby Barrow, manager at the Sun Rooms 2 nightclub in Alexandra Street, believes there are benefits to the budget.
He said: “I was pretty pleased with it to be honest, even though we have increased business rates, we have had reduced rates for a long time and by increasing poorer people’s pay, we should grow more.
“People will have more disposable income.
“Our business is thriving as we have hit the market at the right time.
“There is opportunity in every recession and small independent clubs like us are picking up the people who want to attend nightlife spots that closed down.”
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