In terms of financially and physically accessible ways to be entertained and have a community, local comedy gigs must be one of the best? The number of village halls full of trestle tables and volunteers that I’ve gigged in and had a blast. It’ll be gutting if that dies.

There’s a few people sneering at the idea of ‘saving live comedy’ and I get that if your mental picture of live comedy is Jimmy Carr or McIntyre in a theatre. The vast majority of live comedy isn’t that though...

Most of it is comedians you’ve never heard of driving a few hours to a pub, village hall or whatever and gigging. They might clear £90 for that day and have put in 8hrs driving/performing/writing. The volunteers make nothing, the club runners often lose cash

The audience cry with laughter. They come up to you after and say “how come I’ve never seen you on TV?” And you bite your tongue over how little TV represents your industry. The audience walk home, having paid under a tenner for their night out

And honestly it’s the best part of the job: you see snapshots of so many communities, there’s often a raffle to raise money for something local, everyone knows each other and they feel like the night is “theirs” in a way that touring shows or huge events dont

So, sneer at the word “arts” if you want, but you’re ignorant. Because “arts” in this case is 3 families off the same street laughing at dick jokes drinking from a bar hastily constructed from the cash and carry. It’s properly good for the world.

(I don’t think other arts aren’t good by the way - I love the theatre and dance and all of the rest, but I think the word “arts” is often interpreted like it’s all ballet and posh stuff and it’s misleading)