The new power makes him the first U.K. mayor to overrule borough rulings on strategically important venues, events, live music or late hours

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this **Halloween**, escape Earth for a night of spooky sci-fi, cosmic sounds and intergalactic mayhem! Temporal Comet live-soundtrack the gloriously weird 1...

A comprehensive report titled REMEL (Race Equality In Music Event Licensing) has exposed significant racial bias in the licensing process for Black and South Asian music events in London. Published on October 14, 2026, the two-year study by the REMEL steering group - comprising Greater London Authority, Metropolitan Police Service, UK Music, LIVE, Musicians' Union and various industry representatives - found that Black-led events face disproportionate cancellations, restrictions, or shutdowns compared to white-led events of similar size. The report highlights that these decisions often lack explanation and provide no clear appeal process. Key findings include 46% of police-affected cases resulting in complete venue closures, an estimated £1.1 billion spent on Black and South Asian live music in London in 2024, with £127-£141 million lost annually due to licensing bias. The report also documents how venues like Colour Factory suffered £55,000 losses after police suspended their licence following an incident outside operating hours. It notes that Black music genres such as Afrobeats, Hip Hop, R&B and Dancehall are systematically flagged as 'high risk' while Indie, Pop and Rock face minimal scrutiny. The REMEL report urges the UK government to implement its recommendations to create a licensing system based on transparency, cultural understanding, and clear risk definitions. Charisse Beaumont of Black Lives In Music emphasized that 'licensing doesn't just affect a few artists or a handful of events. It touches every part of the music ecosystem.' The report also cites that Black music genres have contributed £24.5 billion to the UK's £30 billion recorded music market over 30 years, representing over 80% of the total market. Despite government initiatives like a 20% business rate cut for venues, REMEL argues that the fundamental barrier remains in obtaining licenses for Black and South Asian-led events. The report calls for moving 'from recommendation to action' to address systemic barriers that limit economic opportunity and stifle entrepreneurship in London's music scene.