• The Publican – Government dashes pubs' hopes on live music
    MPs recommendations to re-instate "two-in-a-bar" rule and exempt small venues from needing live music licence rejected

    The government has rejected the idea of re-introducing the “two-in-a-bar” rule for pubs hosting live music, but claims it is committed to reducing “unnecessary bureaucracy” around the Licensing Act.

    And hopes that pubs with a capacity of 200 or less would be exempt from needing a licence for music in future have also been dashed.

    The announcement came from Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw yesterday, who presented the government’s response to 26 recommendations made by MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport committee relating to the Licensing Act.

    In the response on live music, the report states: “There is no direct link between size of audience or number of performers and potential for noise nuisance or disorder.”

    (tags: newswire strategy)