Well, namesake,I'm not a lawyer (except for the barrack-room variety) but I don't think pubs have to pay a vast amount for "licenced for singing and dancing" status, certainly most village halls etc are.... and I've seen at least one church in Colchester (perhaps it's an Essex thing)licenced to sell beer wines and spirits. With the amount of extra drink thirsty singers consume I'd have thought it worth any licencee investing. The law may be an ass re 2 people or 3 but there's no point railing against it- the landlord needs to keep his nose clean with the licencing authorities.
RtS