Music venues and pubs in England and Wales may benefit from fewer noise complaints under proposed changes to planning and licensing rules.
If passed, changes to law will force developers seeking to build new properties near existing venues to soundproof buildings. It’s also believed that plans for new businesses and al fresco dining in specific areas would be fast-tracked in an effort to boost the UK’s declining hospitality industry.
Labour said the changes would bring “vibrancy” to struggling towns, but the Conservatives have claimed that tax policy was responsible for “crippling the hospitality industry”.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray said the current Labour government was committed to removing “some of the red tape” that prevented new pubs and music venues from opening in the UK. Criticising excessive “bureaucracy”, which he said was standing in the way of economic progress, Murray did however concede that the government’s decision to raise National Insurance and increase the Minimum Wage had “consequences for businesses”.
It comes amid a bleak backdrop of music venues closing across the UK, or facing threats to their future as a result of nearby property development. One such case was that of Moth Club in London, which last November launched a petition encouraging people to oppose plans to build new flats close to the venue.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said “pubs and bars are at the heart of British life” in the midst of the government launching an initial consultation on its proposals to make changes to licensing and planning laws. She added: “For too long, they’ve been stifled by clunky, outdated rules. We’re binning them, to protect pavement pints, al fresco dining and street parties – not just for the summer, but all year round.”
Last October, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) launched its The Last Night Out campaign to raise awareness of UK club closures.
That same month, the Music Venues Trust issued a strong criticism of the UK government’s 2024 economic budget, arguing that it would have a negative impact on grassroots music venues.
