I will post the following here - this was posted by Steve Mansfield on uk.music.folk as it has a bit more important information re the local licensing authority, which seems to indicate they have had a re-think. Their views and actions being far more important than the Government's words. It would appear from this that the session may yet continue.

Amazingly enough things might not be as bad as we first thought ....

Hansard, Thursday 16th October:

Mr. Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale, West): My constituent Mr. Peach faxed me this morning to say that police last night apparently visited the Bull's Head pub in Mobberley. They were not looking for drugs or guns, but wanted to inform patrons that it would in future be illegal to hold traditional music sessions there.

Can we have an urgent debate or statement next week on the implementation of the new music licensing regime?

When the new licensing legislation was being considered, Ministers
assured the House that there would not be absurd and excessive
regulation in its implementation, but there are worrying signs that the absurdities that we feared are taking place. If that is happening, we need a debate to stop it going any further.

Mr. Hain: The Government are (sic) not in favour of absurd regulations on this matter. The hon. Gentleman knows that the issue was carefully and thoroughly debated in Standing Committee. However, I shall certainly refer the episode that he describes to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. I have no reason to doubt that the facts are as he described, so it is obviously a matter for concern.

So far, so much of the usual 'there there, nothing to worry about' stuff - but the Licensing Department of Cheshire Constabulary are also unsure why the 'raid' happened, are stating that there is no intention to halt the Bulls Head session 'under present or future legislation', and our contact in that Department is going to write to the Bulls Head stating as much to set the landlady's mind at rest. She is fundamentally keen to see the sessions continue, which is a great help, but not obviously not at the expense of her livelihood!

So sense may be prevailing, in our case at least.

But if the Cheshire Constabulary are prepared to take this attitude
surely this can be used as an argument and precedent by other sessions if/when the need arises.

I won't bombard umf with every letter and detail, but will report back when anything significant happens.

Steve Mansfield