If the local council employed vandals were ever to accept that the law exempts live music like this - they would not be able to place any conditions on it in order to 'protect the public'. Thus here, food continues until 00.30, drink until 00.00 but this subversive live music must end at 23.00........

In their defence, the vandals will often claim that they did not actually impose conditions like these but only granted what was requested. In practice of course - the applicants are instructed that any application made beyond what the vandals advise - will be unlikely to be accepted. A predition that they are in position to deliver.

There is no need for a time for live music to end to appear as a licensing condition. All that is required under a Premises Licence is for the opening hours to be agreed - the times the various activities begin or end should be an operational decision for the licensee only.

Where such a curfew is imposed, any over-running will be a breach of the licensing conditions and grounds for a future review in which the permission granted for live music could be further limited or even reversed.

All for something which the Licensing Act 2003 has taken out
of their hands......................