It’s getting increasingly difficult to tell…
The clowns play trumpets and saxophones during a six-minute act as part of Zippo's Circus, one of the UK's biggest travelling circuses.
But Birmingham council officials said the clowns were in breach of licensing laws.
Show organisers had to pull all music from the act, leaving the circus with silent clowns.
Bizarrely, this only affects the clowns. Other music during the circus isn’t subject to the same claims:
Circus owner Martin Burton claimed the clowns were being picked on as other acts can use instruments and a live keyboard throughout was deemed legitimate.
…
"We had to take the music out. The clowns are from Spain, I explained the situation to them and now they think the English are mad".
They’re not wrong, are they? So, why do the council have a problem with clowns? Can’t they at least show them some professional courtesy?
The Licensing Act 2003 forbids the playing of any live music without a licence.
Councils must take into consideration four "licensing objectives" when exercising the powers of the Act, which was designed provide regulated entertainment.
They are the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.
Can’t see where this falls into
any of those categories. I guess the council are just flexing their muscles because they
can. And this is why it’s not a good idea to give them powers like this in the first place…
Yup, as predicted e.g. article in THe Torygraph.
ReplyDeleteWasn't there an actual real life case where a school choir were prevented from singing in a shopping centre? The article flags this up as a theoretical problem only.
I'm surprised they banned the clowns from performing. I would have thought they'd have been offered jobs in the council .... £25K a year, gold plated pension, you can be as daft as you like and no one needs to know your real identity. The perfect job for clowns.
ReplyDeleteThe probable reason for the clowns to be picked on where other acts aren't is numbers. Two or fewer musicians and you don't require a license. Which is why the live keyboard throughout wouldn't be affected, and also why there are so many duos playing the pub circuit these days.
ReplyDelete