Glasgow Music: The Hug and Pint is a Glasgow success story, but music venues need more support

With it’s nod to Glasgow indie legends Arab Strap, the Hug and Pint on Great Western Road is an integral part of the Glasgow music scene. In the decade since it first opened, it has championed up and coming bands, proving it’s place as one of the city’s most important grassroots venues.

Eric Daponte has been the general manager of the venue since September. He said he believes venues like the Hug and Pint are important for the Glasgow music scene, providing a vital foothold for new bands looking to take the next step in their careers.

He said: “This is really a grassroots starting point for a lot of the acts that we work with. At 120 capacity it’s one of the smaller stages. So, it’s really giving a lot of the new up and coming acts that first footing towards building their career.”

According to Eric, without smaller venues, there will be few opportunities for new, young bands to build careers in an industry that is already notoriously insulated and difficult to break into.

He said: “It's super important. If you don't have places like this then young bands don't have a place to jump off. I think it’s hard enough to get your career started these days, but if you don't have places like these, where you can actually get 120 people out to see you, then the opportunities to fill bigger rooms just aren't possible.”

“For instance, last night, we had a band called Ditz. They're from Brighton and they probably played in Glasgow five years ago. They said they played to 10 people. Last night they sold out, and we had a wait list of people trying to get in. So that kind of just shows how over time, in different areas, you can really grow your following.”

Whilst it has helped British bands establish themselves in Glasgow, it has also been a venue that has seen international acts like Big Thief, Lucy Dacus and Mitski take to the stage. All three have gone on to play bigger venues in the city.

Eric said: “It's really been that first place for when you're from North America and you're touring here, and you maybe don't have as much of a following. These grassroots venues really play a pivotal role, so that when you come back over and over again, you're playing bigger and bigger places.”

In 2024, Glasgow’s nightlife appeared to be seeing shoots of recovery from the impact of COVID - according to the Night Time Economy Market Monitor, produced by NIQ and the Night Time Industries Association.

Between March 2020 and December 2023, there were 40 fewer night venues in the city. However, between December 2023 and December 2024, that decline reversed and night venues returned to the city - with an increase of 16 venues. Whilst numbers have not returned to pre-COVID levels, that 4.8% increase makes it one of the top performing cities in the UK.

But rising costs for venues and an increase in the cost of living for punters means that there is a fresh set of challenges for venues in the city. For many gig tickets and a few pints aren’t a priority.

Eric said: “I think we're seeing a consumer base that is more apprehensive to spend, which, for a venue where you make all of your money revenue off of booze and food, that's kind of a bit of a kick in the pants. Not only that, but even our suppliers, where they're taxing alcohol producers more per litre, they obviously pass that tax on to us to make up for it. So I think, from a government perspective, there's a lot more that can be done.”

According to Eric, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for even some of the city’s bigger shows to break even.

He said: “I think the music scene is floundering a little bit as already unless you're these mega-tours that are making billions of dollars of revenue, even the large to medium sized gigs these days are barely break even for the most part. If we lose these places then it’s going to go downhill from there.”

One conversation happening now is whether a ticket levy could help smaller venues stay afloat during troubling times. Glasgow’s Scottish Green Party councillors, who are one of the main backers of the proposal and submitted a motion at the end of last year, said just six shows held at the OVO Hydro could generate as much as £160,000 that could be redistributed to smaller venues.

For other small venues, this could be a lifesaving sum that allows them to cover rent and bills.

Eric said: “You've got quite a good pool of money that could really be distributed to the 65 to 70 small venues like us around the country and kind of, honestly, just help us pay bills.”

The Hug and Pint are a Glasgow success story, the venue has provided a springboard for acts to build careers and find their audience. However, what is clear is that for that success story to be replicated throughout the city, these venues must be valued and supported by more than just gig-goers.