Council Bans Morris Dancing

Subject: RE: Council Bans Morris Dancing
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 05 Aug 01 - 07:57 AM

Thank you Sahmbles.

I ahve not been able to get a copy online of all the relevant sections of the 1982 Act.

I'm still trying to get one elsewhere.

One avenue of attack is on the wording of the section. I am not optimistic.

May I respecfully suggest that Mr Gall writes to the solicitor and asks for copies of the case law cited?

Another avenue of attack is on those cases but it might be necessary to litigate.

ANother angle might be on the duty to apply the law: see how diligently (if at all) the councils are performing their duties to enforce and protect rights of way. I'll bet my bottom dollar that about 50% or more of local byways or bridelways or RUPPS are obstructed, yet there will be at best feeble efforts to clear them and no effort to make landownres keep them open to ALL the classses of traffic entitled to use them.

I repeat that if a serious attempt is to be made to argue the human rights angle you need a serious human rights lawyer. See if Gerffrey RObertson is interested pro bono.

You also need to be chasing the civil servants responsible for the reform of licensing law.

Where are the rest of the campaigners? I think CPRE is a good idea. Try other local historical and so on societies. Tell EFDSS to keep keepong us all up to date.

What happened to the cultiral angle (you know, the stuff about keeping local culture on the go).

Subject: RE: Council Bans Morris Dancing
From: The Shambles
Date: 05 Aug 01 - 11:36 AM

I nearly missed this editorial in our local paper, the Dorset Evening Echo 04/08/01.

Bitter blow for folk.

LIVE music in pubs is in the news with the report that the landlord of the Cove Inn on Portland fears observing the letter of the law when it comes to entertainment licenses threatens to kill off traditional pursuits (see report on page 7).

Brian Flynn says folk music and morris dancing could both be caught in the licence trap.

And Roger Gall, who runs a folk club at the inn, says ethnic music is a grey area and the council could ignore it if it wished…we believe it is something that is overdue for review.

Subject: RE: Council Bans Morris Dancing
From: The Shambles
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 10:07 AM

Please do not post any more on this thread as it is a little big now for some browsers to load.

The saga continues however on Council Bans Morris Part 2