Makes you want to weep. Sadly I had a similar experience running a campaign over the pandemic for 2.9 million self- employed and small business directors excluded from support packages. Because the Treasury said it was administratively too difficult. When we got an ex-Treasury bean-counter to tell them how to do it they changed their reason to exclude so many to ‘fraud risk’. It’s a long hard road.
Brilliant, and I don’t use that lightly or, indeed, ever.
The ‘it’s too hard’ (or similar) repeats what I have had thrown back at me when I objected to the UKAT fund excluding (discriminating against…) bands who self-promote their tours. We can’t even apply to evidence that we meet the criteria for consideration of underwriting a tour.
It’s “too difficult” their CEO (and another only the other day) said.
Yet they take the word of a promoter with as much or more self-interest. Insultingly they are implying both that the bands and their managers will not tell the truth about their touring history and/or that promoters will always tell the truth.
Meanwhile the MMF/FAC/MU seem to have forgotten they are supposed to be representing ALL managers and artists and musicians, rather than promoters and agents.
All that said, and on a lighter note, I do want to borrow the ‘Kind words butter no parsnips’ expression. A delight to read that. It made e chuckle. What is the fee for licensing its use?
Lightheartedness aside, I hope this exposition gathers support and it certainly has mine fwiw. Thanks Mark for doing what you are doing.
Thanks Mark, you've thrown light on something so important and something that most people (including myself!) wouldn't even think about. It's a trusim that some people know the cost of everything and the value of nothing, and that's especially true for the grassroots music scene, so essential for the next Adeke, Paul McCartney etc who'll bring billions to the UK economy.
Looking back at the hundreds of gigs I've played at grassroots venues over the years, it's sad to see well over half have closed since 2010. A lot of those closures due to exactly what you've written about. Depressing. Thanks for a great piece.
This is so well written! If anyone in the Treasury reads it, they must see the irony and their own ignorance and take action! It's ridiculous! Go Mark! You are an incredible force for positive change! You give me hope!
Makes you want to weep. Sadly I had a similar experience running a campaign over the pandemic for 2.9 million self- employed and small business directors excluded from support packages. Because the Treasury said it was administratively too difficult. When we got an ex-Treasury bean-counter to tell them how to do it they changed their reason to exclude so many to ‘fraud risk’. It’s a long hard road.
Brilliant, and I don’t use that lightly or, indeed, ever.
The ‘it’s too hard’ (or similar) repeats what I have had thrown back at me when I objected to the UKAT fund excluding (discriminating against…) bands who self-promote their tours. We can’t even apply to evidence that we meet the criteria for consideration of underwriting a tour.
It’s “too difficult” their CEO (and another only the other day) said.
Yet they take the word of a promoter with as much or more self-interest. Insultingly they are implying both that the bands and their managers will not tell the truth about their touring history and/or that promoters will always tell the truth.
Meanwhile the MMF/FAC/MU seem to have forgotten they are supposed to be representing ALL managers and artists and musicians, rather than promoters and agents.
All that said, and on a lighter note, I do want to borrow the ‘Kind words butter no parsnips’ expression. A delight to read that. It made e chuckle. What is the fee for licensing its use?
Lightheartedness aside, I hope this exposition gathers support and it certainly has mine fwiw. Thanks Mark for doing what you are doing.
Thanks Mark, you've thrown light on something so important and something that most people (including myself!) wouldn't even think about. It's a trusim that some people know the cost of everything and the value of nothing, and that's especially true for the grassroots music scene, so essential for the next Adeke, Paul McCartney etc who'll bring billions to the UK economy.
Looking back at the hundreds of gigs I've played at grassroots venues over the years, it's sad to see well over half have closed since 2010. A lot of those closures due to exactly what you've written about. Depressing. Thanks for a great piece.
This is so well written! If anyone in the Treasury reads it, they must see the irony and their own ignorance and take action! It's ridiculous! Go Mark! You are an incredible force for positive change! You give me hope!