An uncertain future lies ahead for live music venues in Fife

Many venues have had to cancel gigs completely or reschedule them for 2021 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

They have been looking at various options for when and how they will be able to stage live performances , but everything remains very unpredictable.

And they also have to find a way of making gigs work with social distancing measures in place.

As part of our campaign, The Show Must Go On, we are looking to make sure the needs of our venues and the people who depend on them get heard – and that they get the help they need and deserve.

This week we spoke to John McTaggart, owner of The Woodside Hotel in Aberdour and David Mundell of Mundell Music who runs Backstage at the Green Hotel in Kinross about the difficulties they are facing.

The Woodside Hotel in Aberdour has been making a name for itself as a live music venue in recent years.

It staged one of the very last live gigs in Fife just days before lockdown.

The three-day Cash Back in Fife festival celebrated Johnny Cash’s links to the Kingdom, and brought a host of big names to the village – including Rab Noakes, the Countess of Fife, and Ian Rankin.

But it may be some time yet before the stage is filled once more.

John said realistically he won’t be able to host any live shows until restrictions are lifted.

He said: “Essentially we’re waiting for Phase 4 of lockdown when we hope there won’t be social distancing because it’s very hard to have financially viable gigs with it in place.

“If there is a requirement for it, we’ll have to charge more for the concerts but hopefully still retain the atmosphere.”

He has already rescheduled a number of gigs, pushing them back to September – but that remains very fluid.

“I’m not sure whether they will have to be put back further,” he admitted.

Government funding for venues will ease some of the pressure – but not for all of them.

One of the key issues on the road back is public confidence to return to packed rooms to hear live music.

“Mostly we need the fear of the virus to go along with social distancing,” he said.

“I support social distancing if we need it, I just hope we won’t.

“We need community support too, although the vast majority of our customers come from outwith Aberdour – many from outside Fife. I think people see us an opportunity to see a familiar face in a different kind of venue.”

“A vaccine against the virus would be wonderful, but we just need something which would mitigate the severity of the virus to something like normal flu, which, in the old days didn’t seem to stop people socialising.”

As well as looking at operating as a live music venue, John has also been looking at what his hotel can offer when it re-opens.

As a result he has decided to re-model with a focus on events and group bookings, all of which will be governed by Scottish Government guidelines.

The number of rooms have been cut to nine and, from August 1, the hotel will only accept group bookings giving parties exclusive use of the entire building for their stay.

But despite the uncertainty of what lies ahead, John is positive about the future.

He said: “2021 is a massive year – there’s no doubt about it.”

Do socially distanced gigs work?

Many promoters fear restrictions on numbers attending, and people sitting apart will completely change the experience of seeing a band perform live.

And, financially, the numbers, simply don’t add up.

Backstage at the Green Hotel in Kinross is a hugely popular small live venue which has brought a host of great names to the region.

The man behind it, David Mundell, says his next gigs will only happen when normality returns.

He said: “I cannot re-open with social distancing. The equation just doesn’t work.

“Basically I will be re-opening when we can do so in a normal situation which would see our capacity of 120 and that is what I am aiming to do.

“With social distancing and the rules and regulations, the capacity of 120 goes down to 22 which I just can’t do.

“I have two periods in a year where I do gigs – from late January until early May and then September to early December and I have had to cancel both those periods.

“I am now booking for next year, but, in all honesty, I don’t know if it will be feasible to go ahead even then.”

“I just think a live gig is a live gig – so to go ahead with just 20 or 30 people who have to wear masks and have screens up is just not rock and roll to me.

“I understand the rules and I am not arguing with them.

“I am just saying I am not prepared to open under those directions.”

But David feels positive about the future of Backstage at the Green Hotel.

“Fortunately it is within a hotel so there is the rest of the business, but I add tremendous value in the autumn and spring period.”

When asked about what support his business needs, David said the criteria for government funding needs re-looked at: “Like a lot of people I have lost a whole year’s revenue and my company, Mundell Music, has costs like anybody else,” he said.

“We have twice applied for government help but we have been refused it.

“We don’t qualify under the criteria it uses which is very disappointing.

“There has to be rules and regulations, but surely the Government also has to look at what a company like ours does.

“We stage 120 gigs a year and we are a destination venue – people come to our gigs from the north of Scotland, central belt and the north of England. When we have the big bands we get people from London and even abroad.

“We bring tourism to Kinross and everybody gets benefit from it whether it is The Green Hotel, local pubs, which get business before the gigs; and the bed and breakfasts.

“If I stop, I can’t see anyone else doing what I do.

“It is companies like mine which are needed to help regenerate the economy.”

There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it is still going to be a long road back.

“I think the large music festivals will struggle for a number of years,” added David.

“Once we can re-open I think small venues will enjoy a bit of a resurgence which will be good.

“But at the moment we are looking to next year if we can get there but we will just have to wait and see.”

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