Grassroots music venues continue to feel the strain 

Grassroots music venues in the UK have said that the mix of the cost-of-living crisis, Brexit and cancelled shows have created a ‘perfect storm’.  Talking to NME, Gareth Barber, owner, promoter and a band manager at Esquires in Bedford, said: “COVID’s not gone away, everyone’s feeling the pinch, there’s a cost of living crisis and …

Chinese cinema strives for post-COVID recovery

Chinese cinema is aiming for a post-COVID recovery with its latest spate of films and the holiday period. Statistics from the China Film Administration on January 28 showed that China’s movie box office revenue had reached nearly 6.76 billion yuan (£812m/€912m/$1bn) during the Spring Festival holiday.  This is the second-highest gross figures for this holiday …

English venues face £10,000 fines for COVID check breaches

Venues in England face fines of up to £10,000 for failing to enforce mandatory NHS Covid Pass checks under new guidelines that come into effect on Wednesday. Indoor events with 500 or more attendees, outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees and all events with 10,000 or more attendees are all required to check the …