AddThis SmartLayers

Music protest comes alive

Pub life is coming under the microscope in the west of England, where performers are queuing up to back the Western Morning News campaign to save live music.

It is campaigning against the Government’s Licensing Bill, which is seen as a direct threat to live music in pubs.

It would force pubs wanting to put on acts to pay for a special licence, making performances expensive – “prohibitively” so, according to the newspaper.

Singer and comedian Richard Digance, along with singer/songwriter Billy Bragg were among the first to speak out in favour of the campaign, as have pub performers in the region and more than 1,000 readers who have already sent in coupons demanding protection for the traditional form of entertainment.

Billy Bragg said: “The huge response to this campaign serves to illustrate how dearly these traditions are held and how passionately people will defend them.”

The Western Morning News had also published a petition form, which will be sent, along with the cut-out coupons, to Culture Minister Kim Howells, asking for small-scale performances to be exempt from a licence. Readers are being asked to display a double-page poster in support of the campaign.

Editor Barrie Williams said: “As far as this campaign is concerned, we’ve only just started.

“We said when we launched it just over a week ago that it takes a special kind of ministerial incompetence to draft a new law which threatens to make criminals out of the two blokes who sing and play guitar down at the Dog and Duck on a Friday night.

“But it looks like New Labour and its Minister for Culture, Kim Howells, may be more than equal to the task.

“It will effectively kill off live music at that vital grass roots level… it is an assault on a long-standing tradition and a serious barrier to talent and creativity.”

Back to the campaigns index

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail [email protected]