Melbourne pubs play a critical role in maintaining the city’s status as the culture capital of Australia, yet the local live music scene is struggling.
Since 2018 over three hundred Victorian live music venues have closed, with smaller venues disproportionately affected.
Soaring costs, including up to one thousand per cent insurance premium increases for some pubs, are greatly affecting local pubs and their communities.
Adding to these costs are the government’s crowd-controller requirements, with some venues committing nearly a third of their revenue to security staffing.
Due to such costs, regional venues, which rely on far slimmer margins, are now facing the uncomfortable dilemma of either mothballing their band rooms or raising prices.
This situation not only robs new and upcoming bands of fresh opportunities, but also robs pub patrons of local experiences.
The NSW government’s Vibrancy Reforms have been shown to help venues bridge such costs gaps, and Victorian pubs would like their state to follow suit.
Torquay Hotel and Barwon Heads Hotel senior programming manager Luke Hindson says the biggest challenge these two regional venues face is the rising cost of doing business.
While some cost hikes are necessary, he says, others are “nonsensical”.
“A prime example is the mandatory security requirements.
“We can screen a UFC fight or a football game in our public bar with no security guards on site, yet if we host an acoustic performer on a Sunday afternoon, we’re required to hire multiple guards – often costing hundreds, even thousands of dollars,” Hindson said.
The unnecessary expenses make running smaller community events nearly impossible, he adds.
“At a time when live music is already under pressure, it’s crucial that policies support – not stifle – small, independent venues trying to keep local culture alive.”
Hindson said his pubs often receive feedback from parents who are grateful their kids are seeing live music locally and not returning home from larger city centres at 4am.
His pubs have also seen some unexpected benefits. When hosting live original music, people from all walks of life turn up, from football teams to fathers-in-law. Hindson believes ensuring art is accessible to all has the power to reshape the cultural fabric of a town and spark inspiration in surprising ways.
He believes that overall, people want more nights out with their friends at their local, rather than a $500 event once a year.
Australian Hotels Association Victoria CEO Paddy O’Sullivan pointed out that iconic Australian bands began with support from local pubs.
“Live music pubs are desperate for relief,” he says, “and they need it sooner rather than later.
“With insurance costs jumping by up to 1000 per cent for some venues, we’re calling on government to consider reductions in liquor licence fees as a sustainable solution for live music pubs while they re-find their footing,” stated O’Sullivan.
