The 'two-in-a-bar' rule will make a swift exit when the new licensing laws are introduced. Phil Mellows looks at how you can benefit from live music.
Come Christmas, if the new licensing laws come in according to plan, many more pubs could find themselves at the hub of the local live music scene. Of course, there is no reason to suggest that anything will go according to plan. And you will have to get it past your local authority. But in theory a great new opportunity is there. And isn't that all we wanted from licensing reform?
The 2003 Act, which should come into force on November 24, allows for any pub to include entertainment in its operating schedule, doing away with expensive public entertainment licences and bringing it all under the umbrella of the new premises licence.
Don't forget, though, that you will also need a PRS licence, through which the people who write and publish the music that's performed get their cut.
There have been objections from both the trade and musicians about the abolition of the quaint "two-in-a-bar" rule which allows a pub to host acts of up to two people without a licence. One man playing the spoons on the third Thursday of the month now has to be included in your operating schedule.
But as long as you can satisfy the authorities that your entertainment is not likely to cause disorder or nuisance there should be no grounds to stop you having it.
The Musicians' Union, for its part, is preparing for a growth of live music in pubs. And it has produced a handy booklet to help licensees stage it safely and profitably.
The Live Music Kit outlines what's required under the law, covering not only the premises licence but also the new temporary event notices that enable anyone to put on up to 12 events a year at a particular venue without it being included in a premises licence.
Once you've satisfied the legislation you're faced with the challenge of getting bums on seats, feet on floor or hands in the air, depending on the kind of music.
The kit goes on to advise you how to book the right act for your pub, how to organise the event, how to market it and how to avoid running into trouble with safety worries or excessive noise.
It also includes all the contact numbers and addresses you'll need.
- To get a free copy of the Live Music Kit contact your local Musicians Union office. Details can be found at www.musiciansunion.org.uk.
Keep it live
Music is a part of most pubs. The right tunes can create an atmosphere and even influence the mood of customers, exciting them as the evening nears its climax, for instance, and calming them down come closing time.
Research has also shown that you will take more money over the bar, depending on the music.
One study carried out by Dr Adrian North, a music psychologist at the University of Leicester, compared the varying impact of live music and background music on two different floors of a bar in Glasgow.
To make the comparison fair, a Simon and Garfunkel tribute act performed live on the first floor while at the same time a Simon and Garfunkel live concert CD was played as background music on the ground floor.
Out of the 137 people in the venue, 120 paid £4 admission to watch the live band, while only 17 people stayed in the ground floor bar - and 10 of those paid to go upstairs for the second half of the show.
Dr North has also shown that people are prepared to pay between five per cent and 15 per cent more for beer where music is played.
Surprisingly, perhaps, classical music is most effective as people feel they are drinking in a more up-market establishment. Pop also performs well while easy listening music is less effective - although it's still better than no music at all.
In fact, Dr North believes that pub groups such as JD Wetherspoon, which eschew any kind of music, are "crazy".
"There may be a niche for an occasional pub without music but our research shows Wetherspoons could add at least five per cent onto its takings every night by introducing music," he says.