Taking points from the last few postings in the order ini which they are made.

Yes. The fee for a licence is dependent only on the size of the premises probably as a rateable value band.

The "small" clause was always "small premises" but was mistakenly referred to as a small event clause in postings. It really is not a very significant consession and even then it is open to the LA to explicitly insist on some or all of the excepted conditions.

Turning to the second posting. Since the small premises exception only applies to premises that have included musical entertainment in their licencing application, there is no increase in the number of the cases where capacities have to be defined unless - as we must all hope - more premises seek licencing for entertainment. The Guidance states that permitted capacities are defined by the Fire Authority. If a permitted capacity already exists it transfers into the new regime. In other cases a premises licence holder is supposed to undertake a risk analysis to establish an appropriate capacity and then to submit it to the fire authority for confirmation. Present practice is for each room to have a permitted capacity. On that basis the small premises conditions should apply to every room that has an individual capacity of less than 200. How many folk events even at festivals are held in rooms with a capacity of more than 200? Consequently, it appears that most folk events will be able to "benefit" from the small premises relaxation.

Shambles next posting appears to be based on ignoring the fact that every building which sells alcohol already has to have a licence (at not insignificant cost) although that licence is currently handled by the licencing justices rather than the LA. The annual maintenance payment, which cannot result in any changes to the licence being instigated by the LA, will be far less than the regular reapplications to the justices for new licences.