The following is a guest post by Cassie Rowlands, Intern with the Global Issues Group at the British Embassy in Washington.
Some of the greatest British musicians started out in local venues across the UK and it’s important to remember where they came from: their local pub. There’s something about enjoying live music and not having to use binoculars to see the performers from nosebleed seats in row Z of an enormous stadium. I prefer my live music up close and personal. So, great news for others like me, pubs are about to lift their restrictive red tape music license laws which will open up a bigger world of pub music. (As D- Ream once sang: “Things can only get better”.)
As part of their Red Tape Challenge, The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are removing some of their previous licensing laws which pubs had to comply with to host live music. Previously musicians got “no satisfaction” (as Mick Jagger famously sang), due to the difficulty of getting a license and the penalties of breaking the license law. This in turn stopped many local venues from hosting live music, limiting the places where musicians could perform and seriously impairing aspiring artists starting out in the music scene.
Now, live unamplified music can be staged anywhere without a license and amplified music can be played in pubs, clubs and workplaces for an audience of up to 200 people with no need for a license. These are not the only venues that will benefit from the elimination of these regulations: schools, hospitals, and other community venues will also be able hold concerts without onerous licenses. There will now be more outlets for local and up-and-coming musicians to play their music, and more opportunities for audiences to enjoy live music. As the Beatles might have said, that’s taking a “sad [law] and making it better”.
Along with the live music regulation, and as part of the Government’s Red Tape Challenge, several other regulations will be changed today. The government will give some small businesses a choice in whether or not their company accounts are externally audited and will allow firms to decide which accounting rules work best for them, which will reduce the cost of compliance and make it more proportional to the size of the business. There will also be lower legal costs for entrepreneurs trying to protect their Intellectual Property (IP) rights which should spur new innovation. Removal of overly burdensome regulations is key to unlocking the growth potential of British businesses. (A full list of regulatory reform coming into effect is available here.)
Of course, some of the most internationally renowned British businesses revolve around our musicians and music venues, from the Ministry of Sound to Royal Albert Hall. Removing these barriers and permitting easier local entertainment will allow for cultural expansion and growth in an industry that we do very well. Assisting aspiring artists and local venues will be excellent for us and consumers too, because as we all know: British music is GREAT.