DCMS denies tough licensing regime is to blame for fall in people seeing live music in pubs.

http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=66307&c=1

The scrapping of the exemption for live music by two or less performers and the introduction of legislation that requires payment for any live music anywhere is not going to have any adverse results - is it?

No of course not - who suggested such a thing? Such measures can only encourage live music.