Britain’s Best Small Venue

NME is fighting back against the closure of live music pubs and clubs by launching a search for the UK’s best small venue.

The campaign comes after research by UK Music discovered around 50 pubs are closing each week because of the troubled economy and strict licensing laws, which is impacting heavily on the country’s live rock scene.

NME editor Krissi Murison said most successful bands would not have got where they are today without the help of small venues. “They play an extremely important role in nurturing talent, which NME is very proud to support,” Murison added. “It’s in all of the UK music industry’s interest for small venues to prosper.”

To help the fightback, NME is launching its search for Britain’s Best Small Venue. Live music fans will be invited to nominate their favourite small venue (with a capacity of 500 or below) via NME.COM/ smallvenues. Entries will be judged on the quality of the venue itself, as well as the music they have helped to encourage.

Following an initial two-week nomination period, venues chosen by fans and NME itself will be divided by region (South East and London, South West, Midlands and East Anglia, Wales, North, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and put forward to the voting stage on nme.com.

UK Music chief executive, Feargal Sharkey backed the campaign. “Great artists and great bands have always begun in small venues,” he said. “It is vital that the next generation of UK talent have places to learn their craft and play."