Depressing statistics are currently abound that say 81% of nightclubs will fail if they don’t get financial support within the next few weeks.

I can’t say I have experience of working behind the scenes in the music industry, so I can only hazard a guess at how difficult things must be right now. I do, however, have experience of seasonal work, so I’ve got a rough idea what it’s like trying to make money last until the next job starts up.

Years ago, I used to live in North Wales. I was born and bred there. It’s a wonderful part of the world, but I grew up there knowing that I almost certainly wouldn’t be staying there forever. The reason for this is because much of the economy depended on tourism – ample in summer, almost non-existent in the winter.

I worked at a Haven site for five seasons. Each seasons lasted from roughly the middle of March to the first days of November. I did two seasons for the shops and three for the arcades. Even this work was varied – Easter, half term holidays and the summer holidays were obviously all hands off deck time, and the rest would vary quite drastically.

Realistically, this meant when it was busy, you had to work all the hours that were sent your way and more if you could help it. Your survival through the winter months – when everything was closed and jobs even thinner on the ground – depended on those short few weeks.

At this rate, there’s going to be a massive shortage of staff in the live music industry when it comes back, simply because many people will simply have no choice but to start doing other things in life. Memories do not pay the mortgage or put shoes on your children’s feet…