The Live Music Forum
What You Can Do
Since there seems to be a media blackout on this subject, we are trying to encourage a public debate. Start telling people about it, write letters, phone your councillor and your MP. Ask them what they are playing at. It is your right !
Recently we have received quite a few e-mails from musicians and promoters who have hit problems or are just beginning to realise that they themselves might be affected by the 2003 Licensing Act. If you have a business that is affected you might wish to consider taking professional advice since the people who you are dealing with almost certainly have lawyers on hand. {Should you require; Please contact us for a lst of experts in this field).
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We have to be thinking about contacting the people who represent us. Many who have contacted their MPs have found it to be unproductive.
On the other hand, everyone affected by this legislation has a local Councillor, who, they may have even helped to elect. We all also have a right to consult them on issues that matter to us. You can even request that they visit your home to discuss your concerns with you.
The problems arising from the legislation may happen in your town and it is your local public servants who'll be responsible for interpreting the legislation. You should be able to influence the policies of your council through your councillors so why not have a go. Look at the example in Colchester, where the local Samba group persuaded the Council to License the whole of the Town Centre for Entertainment, avoiding the neccessity for the Samba group to have to obtain licenses in order to perform. Surely all Councils have a moral responsibility to be equally co-operative with their populations.
So that is the first action that you can take. It doesn't require that much effort and should be both interesting and satisfying to you.
1 Find out who your local Councillor is.
2 Make an appointment to see them.(they may visit you at your house if they live near you)
3 Ask them if they were aware of the legislation and what effect they thought it might have on live music in your area (where he/she was elected).
4 Ask them if they were aware that many pubs and restaurants would no longer be able to have live music performed by somebody playing the piano, for example. Live Music at some Schools, Church Halls and private parties will be illegal unless previously approved by the organisation in which the Councillor is your elected representative.
Ask them if they were aware that, "performances in hospitals and care homes where relatives and friends can attend, organised for a fee by various charities, will be caught by the Act and be licensable for the first time."
5 Ask him if he is aware that some councils have already been found to be over zealous in their application of the legislation and can he give you a guarantee that yours won't be one of them.
These are just a few suggestions as to what questions and comments you can direct to the people who are going to be responsible for the interpretation of the new laws. Look through this site for ideas on other aspects that might affect you.
Private parties in particular is a draconian impostion on people's liberty. What busines is it of the Council, or anybody else, if somebody wants to pay to hire a few decent musicians to play at their family celebration.
This advice from Hamish Birchall was circulated on 25th November 2005
It is too early to assess the long-term effect of the 'none in a bar rule'.
However, you can be sure that if there is little or no improvement, or even
if things get worse, the government will do nothing unless there is significant
opposition from the public, musicians' organisations and the music industry.
Remember this minister's quote: 'My view is that there will be an explosion
in live music as a result of removing the discriminatory two-in-a-bar provision'
(Lord McIntosh, House of Lords, 26 November 2002). This summer James Purnell
repeatedly told us on the BBC how much better the new regime would be for live
music.
If you know of gigs lost as a result of the new regime, or if, in a few months
time, you feel that the new regime has not delivered the improvement you expected
or is unsatisfactory for other reasons, use this website to tell your MP (it
identifies them from your postcode): http://www.writetothem.com/
It is always best to use your own words, but it may be useful to remind MPs
that the Licensing Act gives the Secretary of State at DCMS power by order to
change the descriptions of entertainment.
As to the attitude of musicians' organisations and the music industry, it would
seem that 'wait and see' is the general view.
Peering into the gloom of the Musicians' Union website today did not reveal
much to me about their current thinking on 'none in a bar'. Given the political
context of the live music debate, however, MU members may be interested to learn
that in March their union made a £30,000 donation to the Labour Party's
general election fighting fund. This was on top of their affiliation fees, which
currently stand at £7,738 per quarter. According to the Electoral Commission
the MU has paid Labour a total of £135,242 since 30 September 2001. See:
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regdpoliticalparties.cfm
Hamish Birchall
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In 2007 we had a new Prime Minister. By 2008r he is reeling on the ropes with one crisis after another. Now is the time to press for changes to the recent Licensing Act. Gordon Brown may be desperate but not apparently desperate enough to repeal the negative effects of the Licensing Act. The Government already seems to be shying away from the proposal of a small gig exemption so we need to keep the pressure up.
Phil Little
If we can be of any help, please e-mail us at,