Two music venues in Yorkshire have been saved forever by a scheme dubbed the “National Trust of music venues”.
READ MORE: The ticket levy that could save grassroots venues and artists: what happens next?
Music Venue Properties (MVP) was first announced by Music Venue Trust back in May 2022. The campaign went on to raise £2.3million in the first year through a series of donations and investments.
That figure now stands at over £7million, thanks to community investment from over 2,500 music fans and backing from the likes of Ed Sheeran. It works by allowing venues to sign a “cultural lease” with MVP – guaranteeing that, as long as they operate as a space for grassroots live music for their local community, they can enjoy use of the building.
Venues acquired and saved by the initiative include The Snug in Atherton, which was the first to be saved and protected by the scheme in October 2023, Preston’s The Ferret, The Bunkhouse in Swansea, Le Pub in Newport, The Booking Hall in Dover, The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol.
Now, Northern Guitars in Leeds and Gut Level in Sheffield have also been secured through MVP, bringing the total number of venues protected to nine and marking the first in Yorkshire to be saved.
The venues will now be permanently protected under community ownership, removing them from the risks of the commercial property market and safeguarding their future as vital cultural assets for their local communities.
Speaking on the acquisition, Frazer Scott and Katie Matthews of Gut Level said: “Having long-term security and a supportive landlord is a game-changer, giving us the confidence to invest in the space, plan for the future and continue supporting Sheffield’s grassroots music scene.
“This stability will benefit not only the venue, but also the many people who use Gut Level to create, organise, connect, and celebrate. It’s a huge win for our community – and for Sheffield’s weirdos,” they added.
Meanwhile, Dave Baguley and Rick Wade of Northern Guitars said: “If we had to sum up Music Venue Properties taking ownership of our building in one word, it would be: relax. Northern Guitars has been supporting working musicians since 1989, and for the last decade, our venue has provided an important first step for emerging artists. We survived Covid thanks to the support of Music Venue Trust, and when our landlord decided to sell the building last year, Music Venue Properties stepped in once again to secure our future.
“This purchase protects a rare grassroots music venue in Leeds city centre and ensures local and touring artists will continue to have a stage for years to come,” they added. “It gives us the confidence to focus on what we do best: championing new talent and building our music community. The fact that this space will remain a venue rather than becoming another generic bar is something the whole cultural community can celebrate. Long live live music.”
The news comes at a vital time for the UK’s live music sector, as it was recently reported that 30 grassroots venues were lost forever between July 2024 and July 2025 – and last year alone saw more than half of those remaining making no profit, with over 6,000 jobs lost.
In an attempt to help support grassroots spaces and help artists tour, there has been a push for a ticket levy to be introduced, which would see smaller venues and rising talent across the country receive a contribution from arena and stadium gigs to ensure their survival.
The pressure is now on for the live music industry to ensure that 50 per cent of these shows are voluntarily paying in by June 2026, or else the government will step in to make it mandatory by law. Live Nation in particular have come under fire for not being as involved as other companies.
Live Nation, who played a part in Harry Styles contributing £1 for each ticket to his upcoming Wembley Stadium residency to the LIVE Trust, responded to the criticism by telling NME that they “support artists’ choices on charitable donations, and have worked with numerous artists who have contributed to the voluntary levy – from Coldplay to Biffy Clyro – and will continue to do so.”
The levy model is similar to that seen in the Premier League of football, and was given backing from the government in 2024.
The financial burden on grassroots spaces was partially alleviated at the start of the year, when the government delivered a U-turn on their potentially devastating surge in business rates, and also provided a package of extra support for pubs and venues.
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