31/07/2025
After years of relentless work by Music Venue Trust and our partners, the Government has accepted the majority of the recommendations from the Licensing Taskforce. That means real, tangible progress for grassroots music venues across the UK.
A new National Licensing Policy Framework is being created. This is a major shift. For the first time there will be clear national guidance that embeds fairness, consistency and cultural value into local licensing decisions. It is a route to ensuring that music venues are recognised for what they are: vital community assets.
There will also be a one-time licensing amnesty. This is a chance for venues to remove outdated, unnecessary conditions imposed decades ago. It's a huge opportunity to modernise and remove the red tape that continues to stifle live music.
Crucially, the Government has committed to bringing the Agent of Change principle into licensing policy. It is a long-overdue recognition that existing cultural spaces should be protected, not penalised, and that Agent of Change should sit at the heart of both Licensing and Planning. MVT will continue to fight to make Agent of Change a statutory requirement in planning law but having it embedded into decisions in Licensing Policy is a major breakthrough.
Reforms to Temporary Event Notices (TENs) are also on the table, which would offer more flexibility for grassroots gigs and festivals. The Government has also backed work to establish fairer evidence standards and more transparent processes around licensing disputes.
This is a significant breakthrough in the long campaign to protect and improve the UK’s grassroots music network, an we warmly congratulate the members of the Licensing Taskforce on creating a report that laid these opportunities out with recommendations the Government could back. It is, however, far from the end of the changes needed. There is a call for evidence coming this summer, and we will be deeply involved in shaping what happens next.
But today is a moment to reflect on how far we have come and to thank every single person who has stood with us in this fight. Thank you to everyone who supports our work and believes in the power of live music.
