For all practical purposes it is probably as well for us to ignore this red herring or 'catch 22'. The relaxation (if it can be referred to as this) is only to the conditions that can be place on the entertainment permission. This permission first has to be applied for, and granted. The so-called relaxation (to the conditions) only applies where the maximum permitted capacity is 200 people and the only way to obtain an official set safe maximum capacity figure, is to apply for the entertainment permission.

It might be interesting to know what sort of capacity an LA would rate the average small pub. I can think of quite a few where 200 people would pack them out - and quite a few of those host clubs, singarounds, and sessions. The one useful thing that this "Catch 22" might provide is that no restriction could be placed on the number of days that entertainment could be provided. Greenwich council currently tend to base their charge for a PEL on the frequency of events - £400 for two nights a week, £1300 for seven.

The only problem is, would the councils be likely to try an impose the capacity limit at times when there was no entertainment ? This could deter landlords from applying for the entertainments provision.