The 2 in a bar rule is abolished by the Licensing Act 2003 as Shambles says. The replacement however is "none in a bar" unless the landlord indicates on his operating schedule (part of the 16 page application to the local authority for a liquor licence) that music entertainment is part of his application - preferably by saying what it is. otherwise the locals will object thinking the walls will be shaking to heavy rock at 3 am! This way he obtains a licence for alcohol and entertainment - theoretically at no extra cost, although of course the alcohol fee increases substantially.

Note that it is the local authority now that grants licences! The same local authority that sends in "jobsworth" to enforce the current PEL system!   I know from my own experience that publicy has a negative effect. In Lincolnshire a jobsworth came to a pub saying that the 15 musicians were "entertaining" the one local in the pub (the local was aged about 70 and deaf as a post). When this was pointed out "jobsworth" says that she was a member of the public and being enteratined. She said she would return the next week. She did so and the BBC were there. She left but the following day in came the hygiene inspector, the building inspector, the toilet inspector and an electrical inspector, together with support teams of about 10 each. The pub had to close for 2 weeks. They really will win in the end!


The government pretends it is encouraging tradtional music. I would hate to be around if it claims it wishes to abolish it!