The Musicians Union will stage a demo outside Parliament next week calling on the government to rethink the 2003 Licensing Act. The protest will take place on 22 Oct, the day live entertainment licensing will be discussed in the house.
As previously reported, live music types welcomed a review of current licensing legislation by parliament's Culture Select Committee earlier this year but have been disappointed that so far the government has ignored a whole load of the proposals the review made.
Music Week quote an MU spokesperson thus: "We believe that the government should reconsider its position on the Select Committee's recommendations. The current economic climate is already putting severe pressure on the entertainment industry and on working performers. The further burden of restrictive and over-complicated legislation is harmful and unnecessary".