Footing the bill

The bill regarding the licensing of public live entertainment in England and Wales, currently in the Lords committee stages, has been cause for widespread rumour, concern and debate. Organisations including the Musicians' Union, the Arts Council of England and the National Campaign for the Arts continue to consult with civil servants to amend the bill, which has recently been found to breach the E
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The traditional British pub conjures up images of cosy drinking-holes full of merry punters, sometimes gathering for regular live gigs and hearty sing-a-longs. But under the Government’s new Licensing Bill, such meetings could become a criminal activity without an official licence. So, too, will performances involving any number of musicians – a departure from the long-standing exemption for pubs and bars to host up to two musicians – the so-called ‘Two in a Bar’ rule – without a Public Entertainment Licence (PEL).

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Michelle Draper
About the Author
Michelle lived and worked in Rome and London as a freelance feature writer for two and a half years before returning to Australia to take up the position of Head Writer for Arts Hub UK. She was inspired by thousands of years of history and art in Rome, and by London's pubs. Michelle holds a BA in Journalism from RMIT University, and also writes for Arts Hub Australia.