They had a couple of options for the majorettes. 1) Treat is as similar to Morris dancing - thus it is exempt. That's what they have done for the Notting Hill Carnival. 2) License the streets themselves - no cost - as Sheffield have done. That is what the government advises councils to do.

Unless I am missing something - I can't see that carnivals present any real licensing problems to any council who have a real will to enable them. The floats are exempt - any marching band can be exempt as live music that is incidental to the floats and the Morris exemption can cover any dancing that is not on the floats.

This way - there is no licensing section involement at all. Which must be good thing.

I am less happy with Council controlled Premises Licence entertainment permission for the streets themselves as any solution to anything much. I fear that it is just a start of more restrictions.

For I am quite sure that Shieffield's licensing section will have similar small-print 'guidance' to that for carnivals produced by West Wilts - for when and what can take place on the places they hold entertainment permission for.

Perhaps Dave you can establish if this is the case? What for example would be the situation for anyone now just turning up and playing or dancing on areas where these permissions apply?

It would be nice to think that anyone at any time could turn up and entertain where this permission now applies - but I suspect that it will not now be quite that easy in Sheffield. I hope I am wrong.