Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called for large scale events to be trialled in Scotland after rapid Covid testing to help the struggling night time sector.

Mr Sarwar, who is contesting Nicola Sturgeon's Glasgow Govan seat, pledged to introduce a'robust' recovery map if he is re-elected including greater financial support and indicative dates for the opening of music venues and events.

It comes amid warnings from the Scottish Commercial Music Task Force that the night time economy is facing collapse after more than a year of clubs and live music events being halted by the pandemic.

On March 28 round 5,000 people attended a concert in Barcelona after receiving negative results in same-day Covid testing.

Fans took a test earlier in the day and did not have to keep physically apart but they still wore masks.

The gig was held as part of a research project looking at the viability of holding Covid-secure mass events following rapid-testing of guests.

Mr suggested that Scotland should follow European countries by trialling large scale events and analysing the results.

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Mr Sarwar said: "Scotland must plan now for the recovery of the sector as it emerges out of lockdown and that includes indicative dates for opening of music venues  and events.  

"We must also be  more ambitious as a Country for the sector by being part of the International research (such as the one in Barcelona)  effort to trial large events and analyse the outcomes.

"If we are not prepared to  do this we will lose thousands more jobs and livelihoods.

“I have heard first-hand the concerns and worries that people have about the future of the Scottish music industry and from those who work in Scotland’s night-time economy”:

“If elected I will make it my priority to work with the Scottish music industry and the night – time economy businesses to ensure that they get the support they need and a proper roadmap to recovery to avoid businesses collapsing and people losing their jobs.”

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A key feature of Mr Sarwar's roadmap recovery plan will be including night-time businesses in the tier level re-opening indicative dates.

Nighclub owner Donald MacLeod, MD of Hold Fast Entertainment and CPL, said: “For over a year the Scottish music industry and night-time industries has attempted to engage with the Scottish Government to support them in formulating a road map to recovery, but sadly our efforts fell on deaf ears and to this day there is no credible plan or support for businesses in both the Scottish music industry and the night-time economy”.

"For over forty years I have been a loyal supporter of the SNP and this will be the first election where I wont be voting for them and I welcome Anas Sarwar’s and Scottish Labour Party’s support for my sector which has been forgotten about and cast aside as the Scottish Government pursue their obsession with the constitution”.

Mark Mackie, Regular Music added: “Like a lot of people in my sector I feel that the SNP talks a good game but hasn’t really listened to our concerns about how we move forward from the lockdown, which is quite surprising given how much the SNP talk about Scotland’s cultural heritage.

"The fact of the matter is if Scotland’s music industry and night-time industries don’t get the support they need then that cultural heritage will become a cultural wasteland with future generations not experiencing the cultural richness that Scotland has to offer and I welcome Mr Sarwar’s commitment to supporting our sector”.

The Herald has approached the SNP for comment.