And … can you guess the punch-line ? …       almost all these bars provide juke-boxes and televised football (often simultaneously!) but none of them feature live folk music. Kim Howells' concern for the welfare of people living close to places of entertainment doesn't seem to have had much impact here. Maybe if we could open a folk club in the neighbourhood, he might start to take notice? Or am I just being paranoid ?

No Mike you are not paranoid.

PELs
Before history is completely rewritten, we must learn the lesson of the PEL regime. As we are in danger of repeating it. The fact is that this regime has not protected the public.

When Local Authorities gain revenue from the issuing of PELs, they have a vested interest in issuing as many as they can.

In premises where entertainment is unsuitable and perhaps better if it did not take place, there is the problem that by turning the applicant down, the council does not receive the revenue, so the temptation is that compromises are sought, to enable the entertainment for all the wrong reasons.

When noise complaints are made about premises with PELs, the temptation is the same.

Pressure is exerted on licensees and the benefits of holding the licences are 'sold' to them. This encourages a licensee with a PEL to 'shop' those that have not.

The only way premises can open late, is to pay the fee and obtain a PEL, even when no live music is intended to be provided. Currently all
nightclubs, with dancing to DJs and recorded music, will have to have PELs.