On Roger's last point above I am not aware of anything in the act that is going to stop Environmental Health Officers "gold plating" the safety requirements for live music.

A fairly typical example is the pub that was told that all curtains and upholstery would need to be replaced with new fire retardant fabric for a session containing a dozen people while being considered perfectly safe for 50 plus drinkers without live music.

The other thing that is unclear is the amout of detail that a landlord's business plan will have to contain as a fee will be payable for every change. Of course the whole idea of a detailed business plan is fine for a music pub that hires performers but ignores the way that informal sessions actually work.