'Government to backtrack on controversial live music laws'

The government is proposing that small venues such as pubs and wine bars be free to put on live music without a licence, in response to criticism that heavy-handed bureaucracy is damaging the live music scene. For the first time since the Licensing Act came into power in 2003, venues with a 100-person capacity or under will be able to put on live music without a licence if the proposal successfully navigates a 12-week public consultation -The Guardian​

An Irish TD has called for cross-border co-operation on Irish government plans to cut the drink-driving limit. Transport Minister Noel Dempsey is proposing to lower the legal blood alcohol level to 50mg per 100 ml of blood from the present 80mg per 100ml - BBC​

Pub companies which force licensees to buy beer through their landlord are not doing anything wrong, according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). Today's ruling will be a blow to the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) which used its power as a designated consumer watchdog to make a "super-complaint" to the OFT over "tied arrangements" in July - The Times ​