PRS for Music crowns The Railway Inn winner
PRS 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.
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 an unused area of The Railway Inn and providing a dynamic space for local bands to practise and play.
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 became 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.
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 this enables The Railway Inn 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. The latest competition attracted a 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.
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.
About PRS for Music
Here for music since 1914, PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 175,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers. Redefining the global standard for music royalties, PRS for Music ensures songwriters and composers are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public.
For 110 years it has grown and protected the rights of the music creator community, paying out royalties with more accuracy, transparency and speed. In 2023, PRS for Music paid out £943.6m in royalties and collected a record £1.08 billion in revenues. prsformusic.com
