What do the Covid-19 tiers mean for London's music venues?

Uncertainty: The Covid tier system could spell new confusion for music venues
Vishnu R Nair/Unsplash
Jochan Embley15 October 2020

It’s been a mixed week for the nation’s music venues.

For many, in London and beyond, a huge boost arrived in the form of the Culture Recovery Fund, which saw millions of pounds being handed out to venues at risk of closure due to the pandemic. It was a vital lifeline — many of them, from The Lexington and Cafe OTO to Bush Hall and The Jazz Cafe, will now be able to stay in business for the time being.

However, with the introduction of the Government’s new tier system, which aims to quell the rise of coronavirus infections in various parts of the country, there is a new round of uncertainty to contend with.

Here, we dig into the rules and regulations to see what effect they might have on London’s music venues.

What are the current regulations?

London is currently placed within the lowest tier, Medium, which means nothing will change for now. They will be allowed to host gigs beyond the 10pm curfew, provided the performance itself has started before that time. However, they will not be able to serve food or alcohol after the 10pm cut-off. The rule of six still applies here, too, for both indoor and outdoor venues, with groups mostly sat around tables to ensure they don't mix with others.

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What would happen if infections rise?

If the level of coronavirus infections continues to rise in London, then the city could move into the second highest tier, High. This is where things start to get complicated for music venues. The 10pm curfew will remain in place — with no word on whether the rule allowing music venues to stay open beyond will stay unchanged — although people will now be forbidden from meeting indoors with anybody outside their household or support bubble. Presumably, with adequate social distancing, this will mean venues can remain open, but that table sizes would be reduced.

Another key point here is that people “should aim to reduce the number of journeys they make where possible”. This doesn’t strictly prohibit fans from going to watch gigs, but it may well have an impact on confidence — if people are being encouraged to stay home, venue attendances may suffer.

If infections continue to increase beyond that, London will enter the strictest tier, Very High. Currently, only the Liverpool City region is covered by these regulations. Again, in this tier, the effect on music venues is vague. “Pubs and bars” will have to close, unless they serve “substantial meals”, while the rules on meeting with people outside your household or social bubble are unchanged in the indoor setting. Residents of a Very High area are also encouraged to avoid travelling outside of that area if possible.

For now, as for much of the pandemic, music venues will have to play a waiting game. While it doesn't look as if music venues will be legally forced to close, the knock-on effects of the tiers may well push them in that direction. We’ll update this page with more information as it arrives.

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