大象传媒

London's grassroots music venues offer a vital launchpad for fledgling acts. The Last Dinner Party (pictured), who won 大象传媒's Sound of 2024, played their first ever gig at The George Tavern in Stepney Green, and were noticed at Venue MOT in Bermondsey.

But new research is warning many grassroots venues risk closure. The Music Venues Trust (MVT) said financial stresses led 125 UK venues to abandon live music in 2023, with over half of these shutting entirely.

Soaring utility bills and an average 37.5% rent hike put the surviving 835 venues at risk. The trust said it was the sector's "most challenging year" of the past decade.

So what can be done to save these all important institutions? 大象传媒 Radio London's Ross Ryan has the story.

(Image credit: Getty Images)