The brilliantly excellent Steve Tromans is circulating (as are others) an email about licensing laws which are already having a brutal effect on local gigs. Venues which could previously offer work to solo musicians or duos now have to pay for a special license, allowing a maximum of 12 per year. Unlicensed acts risk a £20,000 fine and 6 months in prison (for proprietor and musicians). Oh, and this goes for private gigs for charity and school shows too.
There's a petition against this on the Number 10 website. 37000 had signed when I went there.
Go there, sign, and pass it on if you value local music. It may be too late to undo this bill, but it could help frame better legislation in the future.
