When music venues around the UK were forced to close their doors in March, very few probably imagined that they would still be shut eight months later. To say that 2020 has been a challenging year for grassroots music venues is a gross understatement. With no event bookings in sight, bills still coming in and little to no financial support available, many venues are now on the verge of closing their doors for good. Grassroots music venues need our support now more than ever.

Enter Music Venue Trust (MVT). The organisation which represents hundreds of grassroots music venues across the UK continues its #SaveOurVenues efforts with the announcement of a new Traffic Light campaign. MVT has identified 353 'Green' grassroots music venues which are thought to be safe until 31 March, as well as 273 'Amber' venues at risk of closure before 31 March. The campaign aims to support 30 'Red' venues that are now at risk of permanent closure after being deemed ineligible for the government backed Cultural Recovery Fund and other financial support grants and schemes.

Grassroots music venues help to nurture local talent and provide a platform for artists to build their careers, while also playing an important role in the cultural and economic vibrancy of villages, towns and cities across the UK. Music Venue Trust is encouraging live music fans to write to their local MP, council and local charities to ask for support to #Savethe30 and ensure that these venues are not forced to close their doors permanently.

MVT has also launched a new Crowdfunder campaign to raise vital funds for the 30 venues at highest risk of closure. Campaign supporters can choose which venue they would like to donate to and if an individual target is reached by a particular venue, the additional funds will then support the other venues in crisis. Campaign backers can also donate to the MVT #SaveOurVenues national fund and the money will be distributed to the venues that need it most.

Just in time for Christmas, the Crowdfunder campaign rewards include new Music Venue Trust merchandise including #SaveOurVenues shirts, snoods and masks. The organisation is covering the costs of printing, packing and delivering the merchandise to ensure that every item bought solely supports the venues in crisis.

Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust said: 'What the #saveourvenues campaign has achieved during the last 8 months is truly remarkable. Thanks to the efforts of music fans, local communities and the wider music sector we have raised over £3m in donations and have unlocked over £80m in government assistance to help stave off the imminent closure of over 400 Grassroots Music Venues.'

'We are now focusing exclusively on those 30 remaining venues which face immediate permanent closure. If people want these local venues to still be there when this is over there is a very clear call to action: choose a venue, get donating, get writing, get calling, get organised. Save them all. Reopen Every Venue Safely.'

#Savethe30 Venues:

Arden Inn (Accrington)
The Venue #38 (Ayr)
Waterloo Music Bar (Blackpool)
The Four Horsemen (Bournemouth)
The Rossi Bar (Brighton)
POP Hyde (Cheshire)
The Venue (Derby)
Woolpack Live (Doncaster)
The Hot Tin (Faversham)
The Lantern (Halifax)
Grand Elektra (Hastings)
The Brunswick (Hove)
Beehive Jazz Cafe (Hull)
The Gellions (Inverness)
Hootananny Music Bar (Inverness)
Backstage (Kinross)
Boom (Leeds)
Alchemy (Croydon)
EGG London (London)
The Lexington (London)
Spiritual Bar (London)
The Post Bar (London)
Windmill Brixton (London)
The Waiting Room (London)
Dryad Works (Sheffield)
Plot 22 (Sheffield)
The 1865 (Southampton)
Telford Arena (Wellington)
The Boulevard (Wigan)
The Railway Inn (Winchester)

Music Venue Trust has also created a handy interactive Google Map to show the locations of the 30 'Red' venues across the UK.

Support the Music Venue Trust #SaveOurVenues Red Alert Crowdfunder now. Pledges to support the 30 venues at risk of closure can be made until 8 Dec.