Minister: Law surrounding PELs is "lunacy
A senior Government minister has branded the law surrounding public entertainment licences (PELs) as "lunacy".
Tourism minister Dr Kim Howells told a Labour Party Conference fringe meeting on Monday (October 1) that he was a keen jazz fan and was concerned that outdated laws meant there was less opportunity for small bands to play in pubs.
"I have never understood the lunacy of the rules," he said before pledging the Government's support for an early end to PEL licensing through the reform of the whole licensing system.
But campaigners want immediate action to change the current PEL system.
Hamish Birchall, co-founder of the Campaign Against Live Music (CALM) said that although it was a positive step forward, "even the best parliament, with the best will in the world would not be able to bring in a new law before 2004".
But he said he hoped that guidelines asking local authorities to be more flexible would be brought in at the beginning of next year.
Local councils have often come under fire for using the licence fees to boost their budgets and for shutting down "scores of live music events where there are no noise concerns or public safety issues".
This ray of hope comes after years of protesting from the trade and music lovers.
In July this year campaigners gathered outside the Red Lion in Parliament Street, London, to campaign for PELs to be scrapped because they said the law was "killing off live music in pubs" .
Related stories:
Protestors: PELs "killing off live music in pubs" (20 July 2001)
