Good luck with lobbying your MP - we should all do that. I'll send our man some stuff, and no doubt get a nebulous but friendly letter back, the way one does. At least he's got an email address, which makes it easier - though I think it's a good idea to send real letters in real envelopes as well.

One problem with MPs is they have strict limits on what they will take up - first reaction of most MPs to hearing anything like "Weymouth" will be to say "Oh that's a matter for the Weymouth MP, not me". If there's a local example of a session under threat, it'll be easier to get them interested.

In terms of political lobbying, I suppose what is needed is to find somewhere an MP who is willing to see this as a national issue, rather than just a local one, and get them to put an "early day motion" before the House of Commons, which we can then try to get our own MPs to sign.

But trying to find ways of getting favourable media attention might be more productive, and more fun.

Shambles is right enough about the fact that most people in England don't care much about traditional activities of this kind. But the rules at present don't just apply to us, and there are almost certainly other people who are at least potentially affected. Remember, it isn't just in pubs that these restrictions apply, and it isn't just our kinds of folk music. We need to be finding allies.