and the Ealing Project, provide good independent provision, with opportunities to expand this with offers at different scales.
A unique strength in Ealing's film consumption ecosystem is South Asian film and film culture. Tongues on Fire and London Indian Film Festival have the opportunity to develop a stronger presence in Ealing and work toward establishing Southall as a hub for South Asian film across the value chain. This could scope an 'on-shoring' model for South Asian film and wider supply chain, including beauty, fashion and technology, positioning Southall as London's hub for South Asian film.
There is a need for new music venues in London as live music space closures have been accelerated by the impact of COVID-19. Engagement with a range of expert operators and music stakeholders has identified a range of venue sizes, scales and configurations to attract new audiences to Ealing and support the local music sector.
A venue ranging from 600-1,000 capacity is deemed necessary for London's musical landscape, bridging the gap between smaller and arena-sized venues. A venue of this capacity would allow for building a local music ecosystem and tend to the grassroots. There is also a gap for a 2,500-3,000 capacity venue in London, a size that an in-house team of independent venue operators and promoters could manage without the need to appeal to global groups.
Engagement also identified an opportunity for a 3,000-6,000 capacity venue as a potential consideration, although this would need to be operated by an events management group with the resources to run a venue of this calibre. Furthermore, Ealing Council would need to consider the proximity of the similarly sized 5,000-capacity Hammersmith Apollo as a potential competitor. Anything larger than a 6,000 capacity venue is deemed unnecessary in London, due to the existence of other similarly sized venues such as Alexandra Palace and Wembley.
The introduction of new showcasing venues would significantly enhance the opportunities for local artists to grow in Ealing. Ealing already has good provision of music rehearsal, recording and other production space, which is important to retain in the borough to support locally-rooted talent. However, analysis of other London boroughs successful in raising their music profiles, for example Croydon, has shown that provision of the full spectrum of music venues from rehearsal studios to a variety of performance spaces, from grassroots to major venues, has been important to launching local talent. The protection of existing performance space such as the Cavern at Hanwell Community Centre and within pubs, cinemas and alternate venues will be an important part of this range of spaces in order to support the successful growth of Ealing's local music sector.
of music rehearsal, recording and other production space, which is important to retain in the borough to support locally-rooted talent. However, analysis of other London boroughs successful in raising their music profiles, for example Croydon, has shown that provision of the full spectrum of music venues from rehearsal studios to a variety of performance spaces, from grassroots to major venues, has been important to launching local talent. The protection of existing performance space such as the Cavern at Hanwell Community Centre and within pubs, cinemas and alternate venues will be an important part of this range of spaces in order to support the successful growth of Ealing's local music sector.
Wider support for the night-time economy can enhance Ealing's attractiveness as a place for music consumption. Ongoing work to support the night time economy will set out in detail the policies needed to support Ealing's existing ecosystem of pubs and night time venues, as well as the night-time work which supports them.
The consumption habits of younger generations are shifting, with audiences tending towards daytime events and festivals, with opportunities to provide the picturesque experiences desired in the social-media era. A movement away from alcohol is driving a demand for sober and daylight entertainment options.
Ealing hosts several outdoor events and festivals in its parks ranging from the Jazz Festival (Walpole Park) to EidFest (Ealing Common). Large festivals attracting thousands from across London have previously been hosted in Ealing, such as LoveBox (Gunnersbury Park) and provide proof of concept. Given the increased demand for festivals and daytime activities, there is an opportunity to support these activities through improved event infrastructure, communication and marketing. Given the emphasis in providing new green spaces across the borough, there is also scope to embed cultural activities in Ealing's wealth of outdoor spaces, with easy local and city-wide access. This could include art trails, new venues and both the hard infrastructure (power access, WCs, A/V access) and soft infrastructure (licensing, planning support) to help deliver these opportunities smoothly and attract festival operators.