Brighton, September 3, 2026 — Brighton’s grassroots music scene has received a significant boost with The Pipeline secured through a community ownership initiative designed to protect independent music venues for the long term.
The venue has become the latest grassroots music venue to be protected through Music Venue Properties (MVP), the Charitable Community Benefit Society established by Music Venue Trust to purchase and safeguard venues across the UK.
The acquisition means The Pipeline joins 10 grassroots music venues that have now been secured through the wider Own Our Venues campaign, which aims to protect important local music spaces from the pressures of the commercial property market.
The initiative has received backing from musicians and music industry figures, including Brighton’s own Norman Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim, who has encouraged artists and music fans to support the long-term future of grassroots venues.
Protecting Brighton’s Music Infrastructure
Grassroots venues play an important role in Brighton’s music economy, providing spaces for emerging artists to develop before moving on to larger stages. For a city with such a strong live music identity, the survival of independent venues is increasingly becoming an issue of cultural and economic importance.
Music Venue Trust, a UK-registered charity, was established in 2014 to protect, secure and improve grassroots music venues. Its work includes campaigning for venues facing closure, supporting investment and developing community ownership models.
The organisation says community ownership can provide a more sustainable alternative to venues being exposed to the commercial property market.
The Pipeline’s inclusion in the programme comes as Brighton continues to attract major touring artists alongside its established independent music scene.
Squeeze Heading to Brighton
The city will also welcome Squeeze as part of the band’s Tried, Tested & Trixies Tour, with the group scheduled to perform at Brighton Centre on December 5.
The extensive UK tour includes dates at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena, London’s O2 and Birmingham’s Utilita Arena before arriving in Brighton.
Squeeze will be joined by Billy Bragg on the tour, while £1 from every ticket sold will support grassroots music venues, artists and promoters. The band will also collect donations for anti-poverty charity Trussell.
The Brighton date provides a useful reminder of the relationship between the city’s larger concert venues and the grassroots circuit beneath them. Many established artists begin their careers playing small independent venues before progressing to theatres, arenas and festivals.
A Busy Autumn for Live Music
The wider autumn programme also includes a series of UK dates from artists represented by Republic Media.
Gilbert O’Sullivan is continuing his 60 Years in Music celebrations with UK dates including Worthing on October 6, while Hue and Cry will tour the UK in October alongside Roachford and Johnny Hates Jazz.
Sparks are also preparing to release Live On The Moon, a 20-track live album, on September 4, while further releases are scheduled from Camille, Danny Keane, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Eva Cassidy during the autumn.
For Brighton, however, the more significant development may be taking place away from the larger stages.
The securing of The Pipeline through community ownership underlines the growing recognition that protecting small venues is essential to protecting the wider music ecosystem.
With Brighton’s live music scene continuing to attract performers, audiences and investment, the future of venues such as The Pipeline will remain closely tied to the city’s cultural identity.
