(Actually Bobby's Girl's husband)

As a Weymouth & Portland Council employee, ex longsword-dancer and regular drinker in The Cove I feel some objectivity is needed in this debate and the issue of legislation applying to traditional activities in the modern world which I will add as another new thread.

Firstly I add that I am not in the Legal Unit but was present at the Social and Community Committee (to present a report on another item) when this matter was debated and the Committee was eloquently addressed by a London Jazz Musician under the Council's democratic public speaking arrangements.

One key thread made by Councillors during the debate was that the law is "silly" but it is the law. It also arose that there will shortly be a consultation paper on it at which point objections can be made and the Council intend to raise this issue at that time. The key legal issue was whether the law should be applied not whether it was being broken. This law is a central government law and therefore "Council bans ....." is typical mis-reporting and should in any event be "Government bans...."

In this specific case under the law as it stands a situation requiring a PEL was taking place and had been advertised as such in the pub (and I think the local paper too) to attact additional musicians and as an incidental side effect sell more ale in the pub. A formal complaint was made, I believe by another licensee who had previously had to obtain a PEL for music at his pub, the pub was visited and a music activity requiring a licence was taking place. In this situation(whether or not the law is an ass)any Licencing Officer of any Council has to take the necessary action as if he/she does not the chances are an Ombudsman case etc will arise.

Therefore it is national law that is the issue not the local enforcement of it and the relevant channel is a complaint through your local MP. I presume in fact that the law is so ridiculous that every pub in the land should have a PEL as on New Years Eve at 23:59 more than four persons will predictably join together into a ring and sing Auld Lang Syne!