Funny you should mention that.......

... and the bouncers were chucking them in...' This quip was a favourite of the late Ronnie Scott, who knew as well as anyone how even the best jazz gigs often fail to attract an audience.

But now it seems any pub in London that puts on live music must have bouncers on the door. This includes trad jazz, folk and traditional music.

The Globe in Hackney is one of the very few pubs that have live bands (fewer than 5% now put on more than two musicians). Landlord Steve Powell pays about £1100 a year for his public entertainment licence (PEL) that allows him to do this. Hackney council has, it seems, only granted the PEL on condition that bouncers ('door supervisors') are present whenever 'public entertainment' takes place. But Hackney is not acting alone - it is now the London-wide practice.

So bouncers must be present throughout the Globe's Sunday afternoon trad jazz session and Thursday's traditional song night.

Satellite tv is, of course, exempt from the PEL requirement. It is not classed as 'public entertainment'.

Happy birthday to you... you're nicked Some years ago, Mr Powell decided that a PEL might be a good idea after Hackney successfully prosecuted him for allowing 7 members of the public to sing Happy Birthday. This was more than the maximum two 'performers' allowed without a PEL. The maximum penalty is a £20,000 fine and six months in prison. Mr Powell got off lightly - he was fined £500 and ordered to pay over £1500 costs.

The offending occasion was indeed the birthday of one member of a (legal) singer/guitarist duo then performing at The Globe. Friends had come along to celebrate. Sadly a council enforcement officer was in the audience.

ENDS