We learn everything from failure and nothing from success. When I first heard these words, it changed my outlook on everything. Suddenly I realised that growth really does take place outside of comfort..

It’s 2025, and on any given night in Britain you might wander into a backroom pub or tiny club and catch the next big thing – if that venue is still open. Our grassroots music venues – those small, beloved stages where countless artists play their first gigs – are facing an unprecedented crisis.