UK Music chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said a Government-backed insurance scheme is the “final piece of the jigsaw” needed to help save live music events.

Njoku-Goodwin welcomed prime minister Boris Johnson’s confirmation that mass live music events will be able to proceed without social distancing from July 19, but warned it “does not make the problem go away.”

He said that without the insurance scheme to fix a clear market failure, festival and concert organisers would face financial ruin if Covid-19 restrictions were reintroduced this year: “I’m delighted that Government has confirmed live music events can go ahead from 19 July without the need for social distancing – a welcome decision for millions of fans and for the hundreds of thousands of musicians and support crew whose jobs depend on live activity.

“Our industry has worked incredibly hard to make venues and festival sites as safe as possible and reduce the transmission risk at live events. Huge credit is due to countless people across the sector for the brilliant work they have done towards this.

“However, there is one final piece of the jigsaw that we absolutely need in place to ensure the return of live music is permanent and not just for a few brief weeks of summer: action to resolve the market failure on events insurance.”

Njoku-Goodwin cited the “highly successful” insurance scheme that Government introduced for the film and TV industry, which he said has saved “countless” jobs and businesses.

“We now need the same for the live events sector, otherwise we risk losing some festivals and music events forever,” he said.