Non amplified music in the form of participatory folk music sessions, have always struggled to survive in our few remaining small pubs, because they are not recognised for what they are but are treated by this type of legislation and its enforcers, as if they were conventional performances of live music and presenting the same impact as if they were amplified.

They also seem to overlook the fact that this approach then places session in a direct competition which they cannot win, with conventional performances of live music for available nights. A licensee who has paid to enable sessions may consider that they need to provide conventional performances on all available nights and although sessions could be legally enabled to take place - other more profitable activities would take preference.

If S177 was intended to be a measure to address this, it clearly does not. This measure is impossibly convoluted and still first requires permission to be obtained, as if the activity were conventional performances of amplified live music. There are still a few smaller pubs that are unlikely to ever be thought suitable for conventional performances of live music and where permission is unlikly to ever be applied for but which would be perfect for sessions.

Where permission is sought by a licensee to enable a session, there is little question that it would be granted. But the point that our enforcers miss, is that in our pubs, those who make the music (the particpating customers) cannot obtain the entertainment permission and those who can obtain the entertainment permission cannot make the music.

I think this is my main objection. It should not be the case when particpating customers require licensing permission for a musical activity but are unable to obtain it and they have to depend on a third party to pay and go through the red tape for them.

In the rare cases where licensees do share the customer's passion for making the music and where entertainment permission for conventionable performances of live music is not already in place, there should not be a problem in enabling a session by obtaining permission. However, as licensees do not really benefit - when push comes to shove and to paying out good money and filling in forms - often it is easier for a licensee to just end the session.

Our pubs are already made safe enough so that all that should be required to enable the public to entertain themselves in live music is the licensee's agreement. It is the case with pool, darts and quiz nights - so why not with live music?