LGA forced to apologise over live music stats
The Local Government Association (LGA) has been forced to issue a clarification on misleading figures it published on live music in pubs and clubs.
An article published on the LGA's website last month suggested that 80 per cent of licensed venues were permitted to host live acts.
But the body, which represents councils, has now admitted that figure was wrong.
A statement on its website says: "This figure is incorrect and resulted from a miscalculation by the LGA. The LGA now estimates the figure is 55 per cent."
However, Hamish Birchall, a live music campaigner, has now claimed that the 55 per cent figure is "worthless" because it does not distinguish between different types of venues.
"The new 55 per cent estimate tells us nothing about bars and restaurants whose main business is not live music," he said.
"The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not surveyed live music by venue type, or actual provision of live music, since the British Market Research Board study of 2007."
The issue of whether the Licensing Act has had a negative effect on music in pubs is a contoversial one, with music campaingers arguing it has, while the governement suggesting the impact has been neutral.
But a Labour peer, Lord Davies of Oldham, last month admitted in a written answer to Lib Dem peer Lord Clement-Jones the government no longer holds specific data on how many pubs host live music.
The LGA has also been forced to apologies to music industry trade body UK Music for mis-representing its position on the licensing of live music in the article.
UK Music wants the Licensing Act to be revised to stop its "damaging impact" on live music, the LGA said.
UK Music is backing Listen Up! campaign, which aims to force the government to relax the licensing laws around live music in pubs.
Show your support for the campaign by joining the Listen Up! Facebook group
