The following from Hamish Birchall -  http://www.livemusicforum.co.uk/

A petition calling on the Prime Minister to stop using the Licensing Act to 
criminalise live music and to implement amendments that would exempt small 
gigs has gained over 1000 signatures since it was launched last Monday, 27 
July: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/

Please consider signing.  If you support the petition, please circulate the 
link above as widely as possible.

Many local authorities use the Act to bully small venues, including schools:
http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/School-show-scrapped-after-head.5080776.jp

Providing musical instruments is of itself a potential offence:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1194875/Strolling-Beethoven-Playing-PIANO-street--start-new-craze.html

Even musical instruments provided by schools are caught in this madness, as 
confirmed in this 'Yes Minister' government response of 15 July 2009 to 
questions raised by Lord Clement-Jones:

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information or 
guidance has been provided to schools and local authorities concerning the 
requirement to license the provision of musical instruments as 
"entertainment facilities" under the Licensing Act 2003 where such 
instruments are used in public performances of live music or private 
performances that seek to raise money for good causes. [HL4839]
The Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of 
Barnes): The department has provided general advice to applicants on its 
website and detailed guidance to licensing authorities on the 2003 Act as it 
affects the provision of regulated entertainment. However, the Act has 
devolved responsibility for the administration of the licensing regime to 
individual authorities and it is for them to consider each application on 
its own merits. The Act does not draw a distinction between events which are 
put on for charity purposes and those which are not.

Although the 2003 Act requires schools and colleges to obtain a licence for 
regulated entertainment to which the public are invited, or for a private 
entertainment where a fee is charged with a view to profit, they are exempt 
from paying the licence fee if the event is provided by, located at and for 
the purpose of the school or college.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of 
schools in England and Wales are licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 for 
performances of live music and the provision of musical instruments as 
"entertainment facilities". [HL4840]

Lord Carter of Barnes: We do not hold this information. The statistical data 
collected by the department identify how many premises have permission, in 
the form of a premises licence or club premises certificate, to put on 
regulated entertainment, including live music. However, it is not known how 
many schools have obtained an appropriate permission to cover live 
performances of music and the provision of entertainment facilities, or 
indeed any other form of regulated entertainment such as a dance event or a 
play. In some cases, a school may decide to put on an event by giving a 
temporary event notice.

Although the Licensing Act 2003 requires schools and colleges to obtain a 
licence for regulated entertainment to which the public are invited, or for 
a private entertainment where a fee is charged with a view to profit, they 
are exempt from paying the licence fee if the event is provided by, located 
at and for the purpose of the school or college.

See: 
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90715w0002.htm#09071576000578

ENDS

Roger Gall wrote:
> The following from Hamish Birchall -  http://www.livemusicforum.co.uk/
> 
> A petition calling on the Prime Minister to stop using the Licensing Act to 
> criminalise live music and to implement amendments that would exempt small 
> gigs has gained over 1000 signatures since it was launched last Monday, 27 
> 
> 

So what is the legal situation if a band in a pub back room was shown 
live on a big-screen TV in the bar?

On 2 Aug, 23:12, Tony F  wrote:

> So what is the legal situation if a band in a pub back room was shown
> live on a big-screen TV in the bar?

What an interesting thought, which can be taken a bit further. What if
the back room of a pub was designated as a `TV studio' where a band
could play a `live set for broadcast' which was then shown on the
pub's big screen TV. Then the band wouldn't even be `in the pub' and
therefore exempt from the licence regulations. The `studio' could even
be sound-proofed, though the TV could be equipped with a 5kW PA
system. A smart landlord/promoter/agent could even sell the broadcast
to other pubs/clubs, splitting the revenue with the bands recorded.

There are the makings of a sound business model in this.

Martin wrote:
> On 2 Aug, 23:12, Tony F  wrote:
> 
>> So what is the legal situation if a band in a pub back room was shown
>> live on a big-screen TV in the bar?
> 
> What an interesting thought, which can be taken a bit further. What if
> the back room of a pub was designated as a `TV studio' where a band
> could play a `live set for broadcast' which was then shown on the
> pub's big screen TV. 

It might be better to send it to the Internet as streaming video.

Then,  when some humourless council jobsworth drags you into court, you 
really are broadcasting...


-- 
William Black

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing.
If you can fake that, you've got it made.