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Jazz Musicians and the Licensing Act.

From Seb Scotney of JazzDev
seb@jazzdev.org.uk

The Licensing Act has created new business opportunities.

But not for jazz musicians. Licensing lawyers will do rather nicely out of the Act. The Beer and Pub Association have been closely involved in it and aren't complaining. Local authorities have a new revenue stream. Training companies accredited to run courses for license-holders have done well. And there's even one little earner wholly dependent on music: it's called a noise limiter. It cuts off the power supply to bands that play too loud. Some local authorities have imposed the fitting of one at venues as a condition for granting a music licence.

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Henry Lowther is one of the UK's leading trumpeters. His long and distinguished CV spans five decades.

See: www.jazztrumpet.co.uk/henrylowther/henrylowther.html

Yesterday Henry emailed an impassioned letter to Musicians' Union General Secretary John Smith. It concerned gigs Henry and fellow musicians have recently lost due to licensing problems in a Regent's Park venue. He criticises the MU for its 'lacklustre performance' on this issue over the last two years. The reply from Mr Smith was brief and almost off-hand. There is no suggestion of personal moral support or empathy, nor any clue about the Union's view on licensing generally. Disappointed at this response, Henry has copied this exchange to me and given permission for it to be circulated as widely as possible.

NB: It is true that public entertainment licences as such no longer exist - but a premises licence authorising entertainment is the same in all but name.

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