Boisdale launches campaign to allow live music in restaurants
London restaurant group Boisdale has launched a campaign urging the government to overturn a ban on live music in restaurants, as the hospitality sector prepares to reopen after months of lockdown.
Boisdale, which owns restaurants in Mayfair, Bishopsgate, Canary Wharf and Belgravia, has said it will continue to host live music performances at one of its London venues unless instructed otherwise.
Restaurants in England will be allowed to reopen on Saturday, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week announced the easing of social distancing measures as he welcomed the end of “national hibernation”.
However, recorded music, live sports broadcasts, quizzes, live musicians and comedians are prohibited under the new guidelines, in order to “mitigate the risks of aerosol transmission from either the performer or their
Audience”.
But Boisdale has claimed that its plans to host a live jazz trio would not contravene safety protocols. The group said it would still be complying with Covid-19 guidelines if it hosted a piano, double bass and guitar band, each with each performer standing 1.5 metres apart. It added that it would place perspex screens around on-stage vocalists to separate them from diners.
In a statement, Boisdale said: “[We] have embarked upon a campaign to allow musicians to perform in restaurants, which is currently prohibited in government guidelines.
“Boisdale of Belgravia, unless prevented to do so by the authorities, will be the first and the only venue to host live music in London when it opens on 8 July.”
The Scottish restaurant chain has hosted live music on a nightly basis for over 21 years. Planned upcoming events at Boisdale include a blues spectacular hosted by Jools Holland and a Boney M performance in September.
Ranald Macdonald, managing director and founder of Boisdale, said: “After carefully studying the Government’s advice concerning live music performances, I do not consider all live music is contrary to guidelines.
“The government’s short paragraph requesting venues do not permit live music, failed to take into account all genres of live music and the different environments in which it can be performed.”
He added: “It is counter intuitive that pre-recorded music, at a volume that does not cause customers to raise their voices, is acceptable in restaurants and bars, but not live music at the same volume.”
Macdonald added that since the government safety measures were guidelines rather than statutory requirements, Boisdale will be resuming its live music performances from next week. including a jazz lunch on 12 July.