Live Music

Baroness Dacres of Lewisham Excerpts

Thursday 2nd July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Lab)]

My Lords, I welcome this debate and I thank my noble friend Lord Brennan of Canton for bringing it forward today.

I imagine many of us in this Chamber can still remember our first live music concert. It is almost a rite of passage. I certainly remember taking my son to see his favourite band at the time, Linkin Park. It was more than a concert; it was a shared experience and a memory that has stayed with us ever since.

The United Kingdom has long been one of the world’s great musical nations. Few countries have shaped modern music quite like Britain. From rock and pop to classical, lovers rock, grime, neo soul, and drum and bass, just to name a few, British artists have changed cultures around the globe for generations. For millions of people around the world, their introduction to Britain is not through our politics or our history but through our music. Last year, a record 23.5 million music tourists travelled to concerts and festivals across the United Kingdom, generating around £10 billion for our economy.

Every world-famous artist started somewhere. Before the arenas, the festival appearances and those platinum albums came their first performance at a local pub or a grass-roots venue. Those smaller venues are the lifeblood of our music industry. They provide aspiring musicians with an opportunity to learn their craft, develop the confidence they need, connect with audiences and build careers. Every legendary performer once stepped on to a small stage for the first time. If those stages disappear, we risk losing our artists who will inspire the next generation. Will my noble friend the Minister say what further assessments the Government have made of the long-term sustainability of grass-roots music venues? What further steps will they take to ensure that Britain’s live music sector can continue to thrive?