UK live music industry facing collapse
Some 1,500 works including Ed Sheeran, Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones urged the British federal government on Thursday to save the country's live music market from collapsing because of the coronavirus.
Coldplay, Eric Clapton, Sam Smith, Rod Stewart, Liam Gallagher, Iron Maiden, Dua Lipa, Skepta and Florence + the Machine were also signatories to an start letter caution that the ongoing shutdown threatened a large number of jobs.
They cited new exploration showing that live music added £4.5 billion to the British economy and reinforced 210,000 jobs in the united states last year.
"UK live music features been among the UK's biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of days gone by 10 years," they wrote in the letter to culture minister Oliver Dowden.
But "with no end to social distancing around the corner or personal support from government but agreed, the near future for concerts and festivals and the hundreds of thousands of people who work in them looks bleak."
Britain has suffered the deadliest outbreak of coronavirus found in Europe so far, with an increase of than 54,000 confirmed or perhaps suspected deaths.
The federal government has been easing stay-at-home orders imposed in overdue March but while pubs, restaurants and museums will reopen this weekend, live music venues remain closed.
"Until these lenders can operate once again, which may very well be 2021 at the initial, government support will end up being essential to prevent mass insolvencies and the finish of this world-leading sector," the letter says.
The industry wants a clear timeline for reopening venues without social distancing requirements, and government support which includes extending the furlough scheme for personnel who have been temporarily laid-off.
Gallagher said: "Amazing gigs don't happen lacking any amazing team behind the stage, but they'll all come to be out of careers unless we can reunite out there doing what we take pleasure in." - AFP
