14 February 2003
Paul Andrews
pandrews@westernmorningnews.co.uk [For their campaign against the Bill]
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=116762&command=newPage

Music lovers are threatening to boycott a West country festival in a row over entertainment licenses.

Enthusiasts are set to stay away from this year's Weymouth Folk Festival in Dorset because they are angry at proposals set out in the Government's Licensing Bill. Local campaigners helped to organise a national petition protesting about the Bill and more than 10,000 people signed within a week.

And they have also bombarded Weymouth and Portland Borough Council with complaints that folk performers are being unfairly treated, and hit out at new proposals which they fear could mean making music in pubs a crime.

Many now say they intend to boycott the folk festival, due to be staged between May 9 and 11.

Roger Gall, from Portland, who started the petition, said: "The situation is crazy. People don't want these activities banned, they are an important part of their lives. I would have liked to have seen the folk festival go well, of course, but many people's attitude is that the council only seem interested in folk music for two days because their attitude towards licensing is unsupportive for the rest of the year."

In a series of letters to the borough council folk music enthusiasts have said they will stay away from this years' event.

Mary Humpheys, from Ely in Cambridgeshire, said: I would not consider coming to the festival. I am certain that many of my performing colleagues would also be of the same mind. By not supporting these traditions and showing your support to ridiculous Draconian measures you are abusing your position and only using folk music to make money.