This was Dr Howells on Radio 3 (the whole thing is in the 'exemptions' thread).

But of course many of the venues will say that they simply can't afford this, so what are they supposed to do?

KH Well at the moment of course, we've head horror stories of venues, especially in central London who have to pay thousands of pounds for an entertainments licence. Now we're gonna set a fee that is going to be between £100 and £500, which is a lifetime fee for a premises licence and a annual charge, if you like of £100 - £150, so these are hugely reduced costs. And it should put the whole thing on an even keel, people will know where they are and there will be real consistency there.

He is trying to give the impression that the one-off fee is a lifetime fee for the building, when it is only for the lifetime of the business, in that building.

Fact: The only licensees who may initially be paying less under the Bill, are some the 5% who currently pay for PELs in the areas where councils are over-charging, many of these not providing any live music at all.

Everyone else will be paying more per year. For all pubs without PEL now, even the £100 annual inspection charge is an increase.

The 'hugely reduced costs' are only for the larger establishments, who had rather a large input into wording the Bill. The ones who can best afford to pay. The smaller places, like The New Star, whose licensee have said they will give-up, get little real encouragement to provide live music, under this Bill.