News – Licensing clarification

New Government advice on how to manage recent changes in licensing legislation has been published in an attempt to encourage councils to promote live music performance. The guidance calls on local authorities to place only proportionate conditions on live venues and to consult local musicians and venue owners regularly to monitor the impact of the new laws on live music.
Concerns have been voiced by some musicians that the Licensing Act, which came into effect last November, has reduced opportunities for small-scale live performance. Issuing the guidance, Creative Industries Minister, Shaun Woodward, said, The new licensing laws have been in place for six months. But its still too soon to draw any conclusions. We will continue to monitor the impact of the Act throughout this year and beyond.