The following from Hamish.................

I just want to thank you for taking the time to forward those invaluable statements about your experience of public entertainment licensing and to assure you that they will continue to be put to good use.

As you know, I made an edited compilation for e-mailing purposes. This was sent to the Arts Council, Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and to EFDSS at Cecil Sharp House, musicians and others with an interest, in advance of the meeting held yesterday by the Arts Council.

While the Arts Council's involvement is more for the long-term benefit of local live music, and other performing arts, the powerful criticisms of local authority enforcement contained in your statements can be put to excellent use now. They can and will be used to back up continued lobbying with both the Local Government Association and individual councils.

I don't want to raise premature hopes, but there really does seem to be a new sense of understanding and commitment within the Arts Council - far more understanding in fact than has been demonstrated (so far) by the Department of Culture. The Home Office, represented by Andrew Cunningham, now Head of Liquor Licensing for England and Wales, was also very amenable. But while all the signs are that a new licensing Bill will bring an end to much petty and very damaging enforcement by local authorities, it seems that the new law is very unlikely to come into effect until 2003 at the earliest. It is just such an enormous Bill, superseding at least half-a-dozen other pieces of legislation.

Today I will be going to EFDSS at Cecil Sharp House to discuss with Tim Walker (new Chief Officer), and their new Development Officer, Rupert Redesdale, what form a lobbying campaign will take, and the possibility of a musical 'day of protest' to draw media attention to the extremes of PEL enforcement and the absurdity of the current laws - as demonstrated by your own accounts. I know that many folk musicians have expressed doubts about the past efforts of EFDSS, but my experience over the last couple of weeks suggests that they are now committed to an active campaign.

Once again, thank you. Once today's meeting is over I am sure you will be hearing more from EFDSS, and that this will be the beginning of a campaign with real teeth.

Yours sincerely Hamish Birchall