The Next Act - Streaming services, skills shortages, and the rise of artificial intelligence are causing the UK’s creative industries to lag behind their global competitors, a new report has claimed. To catch up, the report recommends that the sector at large “be prepared for the rapid AI transformation”, stream its content to wider audiences and provide more technical courses for younger students.
Entitled The Next Act: A Vision for the UK’s Creative Future, the report is released by Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) Centre for Growth. It draws on interviews with sector leaders and a survey of 523 UK creative industry professionals. It finds the UK’s creative industries’ global status to be at an “inflection point”, at risk of being “quickly outpaced” by countries including France and South Korea, despite their high quality.
The fact that audiences increasingly consume content via streaming services and tech platforms has resulted in global firms doubling their share of UK turnover, from 22% in 2014 to 44% in 2024, and is putting investment in “British-made content” at risk, the report found.
Noises Off - Busking spots in Leicester Square are to be suspended after a court ruling claimed the area was being subjected to "poor-quality" performances. Pitches eight and nine in the central London hotspot will be banned from use for the foreseeable future, with all licensed and unlicensed buskers and street entertainers in the square to be impacted. Those who break the suspension order could face penalties including a fine, seizure of their equipment, or loss of their busking licence.
It follows an Abatement Order issued by the City of London Magistrates’ Court on 26 March. Media company Global Radio took Westminster Council to court over busking earlier this year. The employer had claimed that some of its staff were having to work in cupboards to escape the noise of outdoor performances. A judge ruled in their favour, with the BBC reporting that he had said: "While the volume is the principal mischief, it is clear that the nuisance is exacerbated by the repetition and poor quality of some of the performances".
It is believed Westminster City Council will explore its grounds of appeal, with Labour member and council spokesperson Matt Noble saying: "Street performers are a much-loved part of our city’s identity, but we also have to balance this with a duty to protect residents and businesses. The court ruling gives us no choice – we now have a legal obligation to act. This is categorically not a ban on street performers in Westminster. Our next step is to comply with the ruling by suspending street performance pitches in Leicester Square, consider the court ruling and find a fair solution."
Eastbourne Calling - The production of Snow White at the Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne won the prize for Best Direction at a ceremony at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking on Sunday. Winning director Chris Jordan said he was "very pleased" to have picked up an award. The director said the whole production process for his pantomime took 13 months and that 12,000 tickets had already been sold for this year's production.
Tone Deaf - A choir that "brings joy" to tone deaf people has added evening classes to meet the high demand. Zest Choir in South Gloucestershire welcomes people who "think they can't sing" and has proven to be very popular. The group meets regularly at Longwell Green Community Centre and people say it "brings joy" to them. Mary Williams, founder of Zest Choir, said: "This is a safe space for people who think they aren't good enough just to let it rip, really, and have a really good time. It's really good for well-being as well."
Blown Away - Sir Elton John says he is "blown away" after scoring the 10th UK number one album of his career. Who Believes In Angels?, a collaboration with US country star Brandi Carlile, has topped the charts 52 years after the star's first number one. "It seems quite extraordinary that my career has gone on so long," Sir Elton told the BBC. "It always feels good to top a chart, no matter where it is. And with this album, I'm especially thrilled because I think it's the finest album I've done for a long time."
Farewell - Singer and actor Mike Berryhas died at the age of 82. In the 1960s, he toured with the pre-fame Beatles and Rolling Stones, and had chart success with his band The Outlaws, whose early members included Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore and Chas Hodges of Chas & Dave. RIP.
(Jim Evans)
