The Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall in London has stated that UK government ministers "haven't been helpful"as news has been announced of yet more venues having to close or make staff redundant as the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic continue to damage the arts and culture sector of the British economy.

Closing doors

The claim was made by CEO Craig Hassall in an article published in the 'i' newspaper this week by journalist Benjamin Butterworth.

As reported on 4BR in recent weeks, the Albert Hall has already taken out a £5 million loan, with the prospect of it having to take out another if it is to avoid closing its doors for good by March 2021.

Mr Hassall is reported as saying ministers "haven't been helpful"after a meeting in which they presented their case to state that they couldn't operate within the government proposed social distancing guidelines. The Hall needs to run at a capacity of over 80% to make a profit.

Oblique and vague

Mr Hassall added: "The government support has been very oblique and vague. But Oliver Dowden's roadmap for recovery has no dates and nothing firm."

The news comes as the NME newspaper reported that over 550 of the UK's grassroots venues were in danger of permanent closure with the Music Venue Trust having to launch a campaign to crowdfund to offer financial help from the public.

It also comes at a time when venues such as Perth Concert Hall, host to the Scottish and Scottish Open Championship has begun a redundancy consultation process with staff that could lead to around 120 jobs being affected, whilst the Stoller Hall, which hosted the first BrassPass.tv Band of the Year contest in 2019 has also announced the beginning of redundancy consultations.

The government support has been very oblique and vague. But Oliver Dowden's roadmap for recovery has no dates and nothing firmCraig Hassall

Welsh help for bands

The iconic Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay has announced that it will not re-open until January 2021 with up to 250 jobs affected.

The Welsh Government First Minister, Mark Drakeford recently announced that the opportunities for arts venues to reopen in the near future were "not on the immediate horizon at all."

He did however confirm that the Welsh Government was in regular consultation with Arts Council of Wales which has a £7 million 'Resilience Fund' which 4BR understands has been accessed successfully by some Welsh brass bands.