London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Confusion reigns in UK music due to vaccine passports and event insurance

Confusion reigns in UK music due to vaccine passports and event insurance

Boris Johnson’s statement that a double vaccine dose would be required to enter music venues is in doubt, and criticism is mounting around insurance for Covid cancellations
Despite the return of gigs and festivals, the UK live music industry is still full of uncertainty due to a lack of clarification from the government about vaccine passports and an events insurance scheme that’s been described by some major concert promoters as unfit for purpose.

In July, Boris Johnson said that by the end of September only those who have been double-vaccinated would be allowed entry to nightclubs and other venues “where large crowds gather”. However, those working in live music have not yet received confirmation of the plans. On Sunday, a letter leaked to the Telegraph written on behalf of health secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that “no final policy decision has yet been taken” on the issue.

Julian Knight, chair of the digital, culture, media and sport select committee, told the Guardian he wasn’t aware of any imminent U-turn on the vaccine passport plan. “I think in these circumstances, it’s best for venues to prepare for their introduction as the costs of not doing so could be terminal.”

But Greg Parmley, CEO of live music trade body Live, confirmed that he has yet to see any details about the new entry plan. As a sector, Parmley said that the UK live music industry is “fully behind” the vaccination drive so that events can reopen as quickly as possible. However, he also said the current entry requirement for most venues and festivals – which allows the choice of providing proof of double-vaccination or recovery from Covid-19, or a negative test – is preferable.

Steve Sayer, vice-president and general manager at the O2 Arena in London, said he’d be surprised to see the vaccination or no entry rule come into play because “it goes against everything the government have talked about in terms of ensuring that any mitigations are fairly applied and don’t discriminate against one group or another”. Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, has pointed out that strict entry measures could reduce spontaneous customers, cause enforcement problems and put venues at a competitive disadvantage to pubs and bars.

He also warned that mandatory vaccines for events would be counterproductive. “Contrary to popular belief, much of our core market and workforce will not accept being coerced into taking the vaccine. The workforce is shrinking and illegal events are being organised today in light of the impending restrictions.”

In the US, global music promoter AEG, which operates festivals including Coachella and Desert Trip in California, recently announced that those attending its events will need a vaccine from 1 October. Fellow promoter giant Live Nation has said that all performing artists can start asking for proof of vaccination or a negative test for entry to events in the US from 4 October, which is when all of its employees will be mandated to be vaccinated.

In the UK, Toby Leighton-Pope, co-CEO of the UK arm of AEG, said he thinks the “industry standard” of entry with either vaccine, recovery or negative test is likely to remain the case, as long as it’s what artists want. There’s evidence that this is supported by the general public, too. A recent Music Venue Trust survey said that just 2.1% of live music fans wanted to see certified double vaccination as the sole mandatory condition of entry. A mix of mandatory certification options displaying vaccination, testing or immunity was more strongly supported. (Perhaps this could change following the recent Boardmasters festival in Cornwall, where a predominantly youth demographic with low vaccination levels has been linked to 5,000 new cases.)

One industry source suggested that Johnson’s speech in July intended to encourage young people to get a vaccine by saying they’d soon need it to go clubbing, and that the government is waiting to see what the take-up rate is before announcing any further plans. In the UK, nearly 77% of the adult population have been double-vaccinated, as of the latest update; the Music Venue Trust survey said that 91.6% of live music fans will have been vaccinated by the end of September.

The uncertainty around entry is compounded by the government’s long-awaited Covid cancellation insurance scheme for live events, announced at the beginning of August, which is said by some in the industry to still have gaping holes ahead of its September launch.

The scheme covers costs incurred if events are unable to happen due to government Covid restrictions, such as a local or national lockdown.

However, Stuart Galbraith, CEO of promoter Kilimanjaro Live – which was behind the O2’s two comeback shows with Gorillaz earlier this month – said that it doesn’t cover cancellations if an artist or crew member contracts Covid-19 and tours have to be cancelled. He also said that it doesn’t cover lost income due to local councils imposing social distancing rules. “From my point of view, where the majority of our business is indoor touring, there’s no point at all in taking out the Covid insurance policy,” he says. “As we head through autumn and into 2022, we’re still going to face the risk of running events that are uninsurable.”

Leighton-Pope said that rescheduling shows is not an easy option. “If an artist gets Covid and can’t perform for 10 shows, then what happens to those 10 shows? There’s little to no [venue] availability next year.” If a tour is 20-30 dates, with 10 dates lost in the middle, he says an artist can end up losing money. The insurance policy is “better than nothing”, added Sayer, but agreed that it “doesn’t deal with the key issues that we’re going to be hit with over the winter”.

While Knight conceded that the government should have introduced the events insurance scheme “several months ago” in order to have saved some major events (Shambala, Boomtown and Kendal Calling were among festivals to have cited a lack of insurance as the reason for cancellations this year), “my view is that the events insurance scheme is about as good as could be expected under the circumstances and is more extensive than many other international schemes”. Full details of the scheme are expected to be published in early September, which is when the cover can be purchased.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×