The Musicians' Union has criticised new legislation which will force pubs, clubs and cafes to apply for entertainment licences for any form of amplified live music. The ruling was pushed through the House of Lords late last week after peers failed to defeat the government on the Licensing Bill.
The move means that, for the first time, venues with audiences of less than 200 will have to obtain a licence to stage gigs. The government claim unlicensed gigs can be dangerous pointing out that there had been more than 1,500 fires in pubs and clubs in England and Wales.
The Musicians' Union argues that the measures will act as a deterrent to small venues wanting to host live bands, cutting off a vital network of venues for up and coming musicians. Union spokesman Hamish Birchall said: "It's very disappointing that at the final hurdle we couldn't have secured some kind of exemption for small gigs."
A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: "The law will be under constant review, and any evidence of a negative impact on live music will be considered."