PRS for Music crowns The Railway Inn winner of Music Makeover 2013
15 April 2014 - Press releasePRS for Music today announced the winner of their Music Makeover 2013 competition; Shaun Jackson of The Railway Inn, Leicestershire takes top prize of £10k.
In the coming weeks, PRS for Music will be working with partners; Musicians Union (MU), The British Bar and Pub Association (BBPA) and music equipment supplier; GAK, mentoring Shaun to help him achieve his dreams of becoming the live music destination in Oakham.
Guy Fletcher OBE, PRS Chair said, “The objective of PRS for Music’s Music Makeover is to empower publicans around the country with the know-how to turn their venues into a real hub for music in their local communities. We were very impressed with Shaun’s passion and enthusiasm for developing a unused area of The Railway Inn and providing a dynamic space for local bands to practise and play.”
Shaun Jackson commented, “Oakham and Rutland is home to excellent grassroots talent and music fans alike but unfortunately the area lacks suitable venues. We want to remedy that and offer local bands a quality place to hone their skills for free and kick start the local music scene.”
Entries were of such a high standard that PRS for Music has awarded The Rose and Crown in Taunton a ‘highly commended’ accolade and £2,500, towards helping them realise their vision. The Rose and Crown was beleaguered by floods earlier this year but was a fixture of hope and respite during the crisis. With so many local school children playing instruments, the family-run business is dedicated to bringing the community together using music.
PRS for Music’s Director of Public Performance Sales Paul Clements said: "Pubs across the nation continue to be one of the most popular places for people to socialise and we recognise that they are crucial in maintaining and developing the UK music scene. Music Makeover offers landlords an opportunity to enter our competition to revamp their pub and make live music a central part of their success. Having doubled this year’s prize money to £10,000 I hope that this enables The Railway to make a huge difference to the live music scene in Oakham and Rutland.”
It is the fourth Music Makeover run by PRS for Music which represents over 100,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the UK and licenses hundreds of thousands of businesses so creators can make a living from their music. This latest competition attracted record numbers of entries from across the United Kingdom.
The judging panel comprised PRS Chairman, Guy Fletcher, Director of Public Performance Sales, Paul Clements, Musicians’ Union Assistant General Secretary, Horace Trubridge and Neil Williams, Head of Media of The British Beer and Pub Association. Music Makeover is also endorsed by artists including; Chvrches, alt J, Wolf Alice, Wytches, Dutch Uncles, Scouting for Girls, Sandi Thom, Paul Heaton, Status Quo and David McAlmont.
Iain Cook of Chvrches said: "Local pubs and small venues are hugely important. I’ve been playing in bands since 1993 and there’s a real willingness from pubs and promoters to give young talent a chance. They are a really encouraging force."
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