I listened to the Humberside report at c5.30 which surprised me a bit.

I've sent an email to Chris Arundel which I copy here -

"Listened to your report at 5.30 ish - just to correct a factual error the correspondence with Humphrey Smith was in January not December. And also the bit on the news at 5 seemed to link me much closer to Nellies than I am - I have only been there twice in my life. Richard and Jean and others are the prime movers there.

I was surprised that the tone of the report was that Samuel Smiths have made an informed economic decision, that PRS are reasonably priced and that's it tough luck for the folkies.

No mention of the jazz at Nellies or that it affects more than just folk music.

No mention that even at Farlington the c£5000 (estimate) that whizzed across the bar over the last year AS A DIRECT RESULT of music (not incidental business because people were there, but directly linked to the music) - for Nellies you are talking many times that figure of LOST business from Jazz, Folk, Salsa etc. Tonight c15 of us will be at another pub and give them our business - this is a direct economic negative for Sam Smiths. The £7 it would have cost is irrelevant compared to the takings.

Just surprised really that it seemed pretty much ok Sams have done rather than going a little deeper into the financial loss that is involved to Sams. If they would adopt a wider selective view on the needs of their individual pubs then they could save fees where they wanted and still allow music in their pubs - ie KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY

I'll stick a copy of this on Mudcat to keep friends etc informed - any problem with that let me know and I'll get it removed

Regards

Nick"