Around 50 of London’s live music venues have closed since 2007 and more are facing closure as landlords take advantage of the demand for residential properties and sell to developers.
High costs, rising property prices, and complaints from nearby residents have made it difficult for the venues and there are now only 88 such places left in the capital.
A report on the subject notes that residential development and night-time activity are taking place side by side, increasing the pressure. It calls for a number of measures to address the situation, including creating a champion for the night-time economy and adopting the agent of change principle under which developers would be responsible for dealing with the negative side effects if they build near an existing venue.
The Guardian, p. 10
