Moles in Bath, where Oasis, The Killers and Ed Sheeran performed, forced to close after 45 years

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The music industry needs to do the same before the entire grassroots sector collapses.” Moles is one of the best-known grassroots music venues in the UK, and first opened its doors in 1978, after which it became known as a prominent champion of new and emerging talent. open image in gallery The news comes not long after the Music Venue Trust, the industry body that represents the UK’s grassroots venues, issued a dire warning about the tenuous future of live music. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up The charitable organisation, which was launched in 2014 to help protect and support the hundreds of venues that play host to Britain’s emerging music talent, warned in September that the sector is in the middle of a “full-blown crisis”. “For the British music economy, an area of the creative industries in which we are world leaders, this is 15.7 per cent fewer research and development opportunities to support the next wave of British talent.” The MVT successfully campaigned for an extension of the 75 per cent business relief rate beyond April 2024 in Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement, but it is evident that this was too late for Moles.