Tim Clement-Jones, House of Lords, has announced his intention to bring forward a live music bill which will clear up the bureaucratic minefield of the Licensing Act and breathe new life into the live music scene.

Back in 2003, ministers called the new Licensing Act “a licensing regime for the 21st century”, yet where live music is concerned, they actually turned the licensing clock back more than 100 years. A case in 1899 (Brearley v Morley) established that a pub landlord could let customers use a piano on his premises without an entertainment licence. Today, such a landlord could face criminal prosecution where the maximum penalty is a £20,000 fine and six months in prison.

It is this absurdity which has caused Tim Clement-Jones to take action.