It is 200 years ago to the day when a press gang arrived in Weymouth and directed by the Mayor of Weymouth - to Portland where the folk there were obviously considered by him to be more expendable than the young men of Weymouth.

There then followed what was known as the Easton Massacre and a number of Portland folk were killed that day. Subsequently the troops were acquitted.

Weymouth's legal officer's are using case-law from 1793 as support for their position. This really puts their advice to members in perspective as there was no Human Rights legislation then or indeed in 1803, when if you were playing music in pub, you ran the serious risk of being 'pressed' into the Royal Navy.