John King Comments: Do turkeys vote for Christmas? Institute of Licensing publish the latest campaign bulletin (omitting the arguments about existing safety legislation covering live music performances)
Yes, it would be nice to have a little honesty shown by this lobby. The Act's existing exemptions already have largely driven a coach and horses through the entertainment licensing aspects of the Licensing Act 2003. It is dishonest for this body, the LGA Group lobby and the Govt to pretend that it is necessary to continue to duplicate other existing legislation in the Licensing Act.
This over-regulation just continues, for no good reason, to strangle the life out of live music in particular - whilst most everything else is either already exempted or not licensable in the first place.
This course of action (i.e. exemptions) is only possible because of the other legislation which is already in place and judged to be adequate (without any measures contained in the Licensing Act 2003 to deal with any real concerns which may emanate from the long list of activities which are already exempted from the Licensing Act's measures.
Although it is easy to understand why the LGA Group lobby would like to hang on to something for thir members to licence - it is very unfair for those concerned with the remaining activity to be singled-out for the red-tape of outdated and expensive duplication, that is now additional entertainment licensing.
Perhaps the LGA Group lobby etc. would tell us what exactly is the concern for the public that the proposed exemption would expose us to - that is not presented (and already dealt with by other existing legislation) by all of the Act's existing exemptions?