Music lovers can own a share of Scotland's best-known venues

Music lovers are being given the chance to own a part of some of Scotland’s best-known venues.

The Music Venue Trust has launched a scheme for people to buy shares in gig locations such as The Glad Cafe on the south side of Glasgow.

Mark Davyd, from the Trust, said: “This Own Our Venues campaign is effectively trying to create a National Trust of Music Venues.

“We’ve lost 25 per cent of music venues in the past 20 years, but this scheme means that these venues would be permanently protected because they will be owned by the people who use them, by the people who love them and by the people who need them.”

Music lovers are being asked to either promote the scheme or invest in shares if they can, with all information available at musivenueproperties.com.

It’s a venture that has been very much welcomed by The Glad Cafe staff, after a difficult few years due to Covid.

Manager Kim Blyth told STV News: “Running a music venue is not without its challenges.

“Some gig goers are still reluctant to return to venues after the pandemic. The cost-of-living crisis means many don’t have as great a disposable income to splash out on gig tickets anymore and the current issues around public transport in Glasgow are also putting people off.

“The idea that these spaces could go into public hands and public safety means it could secure our future.”

Musician Luke La Volpe, who is set to perform in festivals across the country this summer, including TRNSMT and Belladrum, is a patron for the Music Venue Trust and knows just how important grassroots venues are when starting out.

He said: “This new Music Venue Properties campaign is just tremendous, putting the power into the fans and the musicians to actually own the venues instead of the landlords.

“The only way you will see more superstar artists is if you keep grassroots venues, cause not everyone starts off in arenas. They are the lifeblood of music in this country.”