Sharkey hits back at LGA over music plans snub

UK Music chief Feargal Sharkey has criticised a council chief for raising a "moral panic" over plans to change licensing laws around live music.

A Local Government Association (LGA) survey last week showed 90 per cent of licensing officers fear an exemption for small venues hosting music would lead to a surge in noise complaints.

Cllr Chris White, chair of the LGA's Culture, Tourism and Sport board, said it was evidence that any changing of the licensing laws was "pointless" and families should be able to put their children to bed "without being disturbed by noise from licensed premises".

Sharkey said the LGA's attitude was not "unexpected", but added: "It is, none the less, hugely disappointing."

"Instead of basing arguments on rational fact and legitimate research, it is faintly absurd that the LGA instead raises a moral panic of sleeping babies being awoken by the volume of heavy metal gigs," Sharkey said.

He said the LGA's research went against other "substantive work" carried out by councils.

One study showed other nuisances were much more common than live music, Sharkey said. It showed "twice as many complaints about burglar alarms, three times more complaints about barking dogs and almost thirteen times more complaints about neighbours playing the stereo too loudly than there ever were about live music".

The government is due to release a consultation on offering an exemption for venues with a capacity of 100 or fewer.

However it is understood this may not be until the New Year.