Kevin's Watch

Posted: **Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:54 pm**

I'll just quote it in the form it was sent to me. Some bits are shameless, but I think the petition's worthwhile. Downing Street must be cursing the day they set up this petition system.

Loads of paperwork, if nothing else.

The Government have recently passed laws in the UK to try and suppress live music.
Pubs which could previously offer work to solo musicians or duos now have to pay for a special licence and can only have 12 of these per year. Even school Xmas concerts need to be licensed.
The unlicensed provision of even one musician is a potential criminal offence (although some places are exempt, including places of public religious worship, royal palaces and moving vehicles). Max penalty: £20,000 fine and six months in prison (for the proprietor and the musicians).

The rationale is to prevent noise, crime and disorder, to ensure public safety, and the protection of children from harm. But broadcast entertainment, including sport and music, is exempt - no matter where, and no matter how powerfully amplified. For the first time, private performances raising money for charity will need a licence.
School performances open to friends and family will need a licence - they count as public performances.
If you want to add your name to the petition (currently more than 27,000 people have joined the list), please click on the following link (it takes less than a minute)...

petitions.pm.gov.uk/licensing/

If this law is implemented, it will be disastrous for music and musicians in the UK, and will threaten to return Britain to "the land without music" that it was internationally considered to be after Cromwell's infamous ban on music.
If you choose to sign the petition, please tell your friends so we can stop this despicably
destructive act from coming into being.

My main gripe with this policy is the lack of thought. Yet again we have a government proposal that makes no sense whatsoever.

Posted: **Mon Apr 23, 2007 1:00 pm**

Good lord. Imagine if the Beatles had to have a license to play the Cavern Club....

Posted: **Mon Apr 23, 2007 3:26 pm**

I agree with the reasons, but not with the execution.

Posted: **Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:38 pm**

The rationale is to prevent noise, crime and disorder, to ensure public safety, and the protection of children from harm. But broadcast entertainment, including sport and music, is exempt - no matter where, and no matter how powerfully amplified

As if it's the people going to see a singer in the local pub who are causing the problems!

I had thought that the new drink-licensing laws relaxed the need for an entertainment license, obviously I was wrong!

I'll be signing the petition.

Posted: **Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:41 pm**

Not my country, but it doesn't make sense in terms of where I live. I mean, I've seen WAY more fights from people going berserk at a Backstreet Boys concert than a school fundraiser for the choir.

Not that I've been to a Backstreet Boys concert....

Posted: **Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:48 pm**

Balon wrote:Not that I've been to a Backstreet Boys concert....

Posted: **Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:50 am**

To be honest I think they just ignore these petitions, as over 10% of the population signed the Road Charging one and they just turned round and said basically that they were going to do it whether we liked it or not.

The reason a lot of venues only host solo and duo musicians at present is because the licence itself costs a lot, even if it isn't particularly expensive to meet the requirements for one. Basically a significant amount of live music will disappear unless they make it cheaper, although places that already host full bands probably won't be affected very much.

The unlicensed provision of even one musician is a potential criminal offence (although some places are exempt, including places of public religious worship, royal palaces and moving vehicles).

I must say that this is a loophole that I like the sound of. Instead of music in pubs and clubs, we might end up with more mobile street parties with Notting Hill Carnival-style sound systems.

Kevin's Watch

Questionable UK gov't restrictions on music

Questionable UK gov't restrictions on music