Will the annual inspection chrge still apply if the entertainments option is not applied for ? I thought that a statement was made that opting for entertainment should not include any hidden costs.

The problem which I foresee is that if these costs are set at too high a rate, many smaller independent pubs will close down and pub chains will also be inclined to sell some of their less profitable smaller pubs. These are usually the very pubs which provide venues to folk activities. We'll end up with mainly the Wetherspoons, Ember Inns, Beafeaters, etc and lose the little corner pubs. In the same way that the government appears to be in Mr Murdock's pocket, LAs will probably be exchanging favours with the big chains and of course developers and property companies waiting to grab some premises with character. If many of those small pubs with character are forced toclose, we will have have lost as much of a part of english tradition as the folk scene itself.

It seems disgusting to me that at this point in time pubs have absolutely no idea of the fee levels that they will be required to fork out in only about 4 months time.