I read this entire string of messages today, July 4th, what we in the U.S. refer to as "Independence Day" or simply the 4th of July when we celebrate our "freedom", but originally this meant our independence from what was viewed as English tyranny - imposing taxes and various controls on the English colonists in America. How ironic that the tyranny still persists to this day in England, imposing laws that prohibit the freedom of singing and playing music in public establishments without the payment of a tax to the authorities. I feel so sorry for all of you who've been denied the right to the pursuit of happiness via music in the traditional way. In the 1770's some Bostonians dumped British tea in the Boston Harbor as a symbolic act protesting a tax on a basic foodstuff. Perhaps you could organize a dumping of musical instruments into the Thames to protest this ridiculous 2-in-a-bar rule, and taxation of acoustic music. I don't know if ridicule for the establishment will do any good on your side of the Atlantic, but it seems to help over here, as even politicians don't want to look like a horse's ass more often than necessary. Anyway, even if you don't organize your own version of the Boston Tea Party you're all welcome to play in our town (Vancouver, Washington, USA) without taxation. I haven't beeen thrown out of a bar for singing yet, and at least one of the city planners is a folk musician so we may have some insider influence. Best of luck to you all.