http://www.culture.gov.uk/consultations/8408.aspx

The following from Hamish Birchall

Please circulate

Don't let local authorities determine when, where and even what live music you can perform. Don't let them scare the government into abandoning plans for more radical deregulation of entertainment licensing.

It is a myth that entertainment licensing is the only way to regulate safety and noise at entertainment events. There is ample legislation irrespective of licensing to address these risks.

Respond to the DCMS consultation - there are two days left:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/consultations/8408.aspx

The live music bill is making progress in Parliament, but it offers a relatively narrow exemption from the entertainment licensing regime: performances between 8am and 11pm to audiences of up to 200.

Why should live music be automatically subject to an 11pm curfew when DJs can often play much later? Should traditional folk singarounds, unamplified, automatically be subject to licensing between 11pm and 8am?

I and others have criticised the DCMS consultation for proposing to keep daft licence conditions for pubs and bars (p11 para 2.25), such as a two or three musician limit and restrictions on musical genres. That would be a disaster for live music in those venues. But it is only a proposal. You can reject it.

ENDS