The following letter was published in our local paper, The Dorset Evening Echo 07/08/01.

I seem to have failed in getting much response, let alone support as a result of the paper's article, editorial 04/08/01 and this letter. I would be most grateful for any help in keeping this issue to the fore.

Please bear in mind that this is a tourist resort, so it matters little where in the world you live. If you care about freedom of expression and traditional music, please write and express your view of our Local Authority's policy? ……………….I will keep a record here of what is published…… ..Please help, this is an opportunity to change this policy and send a clear message to ALL our councils. If we don't take this opportunity to put things right, no one is going to do it for us!

Letters to the Editor (short ones have a better chance of appearing)…….letters@dorsetecho.co.uk

Thanks.

SATURDAY'S piece about Brian Flynn, of the Cove House Inn, Portland, and his set-to with the borough council ('Landlord fears that system threatens future of traditional music') raised some important issues.

As a local traditional musician, I would like to publicly thank Brian Flynn, on behalf of all the people of Weymouth and Portland, for his actions and the views he expressed.

The difficulties presented locally for these folk music and Morris dancing, the activities, and the amateurs involved in them, need to be addressed. Where is there any mention from WPBC of any constructive measures to deal with this situation?

The director of tourism is responsible for departments that promote cultural events- as well as for the departments that prevent them and for the department that is charged with finding case law, to defend their actions. What a sad story in the Echo with the council insisting on justifying measures that prevent of our local Morris teams from dancing at the Cove House Inn.

I do not ask the council to spend our money to promote such activities, I would just ask it to leave them alone?

Both Mr Flynn and WPBC find themselves in difficult positions. Mr Flynn has used discretion and common sense. The council claims it does not have the former and to date seems not to have demonstrated much of the latter. I live in hope?

As pubs already have all the legislation needed to ensure the interest of the public, maybe it is time to use the considerable powers of discretion that the office confers to distinguish between the supposed risks presented, or to replace the council office with a far cheaper option of a machine or computer programmed to just carry out instructions.

Only 6% of the nation's licensed premise currently hold Public Entertainment Licenses. Under considerable pressure from the council, Mr Flynn has had to apply and pay for a licence he did not consider that he needed. It is to his credit that he did not just ask the traditional activity to stop.

The "benefit" of the Public Entertainment Licence has prevented Morris dancing on his property, except for once a year. The extent, to which he has broken the terms of this Public Entertainment Licence, is just to allow Morris dancing to take place safely on his land.