English folk law: a brief introduction to pub licensing

The impact of government policy on live music in Britain is only recently being explored in academic work (e.g. Cloonan 2011). This article provides a brief introduction to the Licensing Act 2003, and the Live Music Act 2012, discussing their impact on the ability of venues to host live music and dance, with particular reference to the folk arts. It concludes that whilst the Live Music Act has opened up performance opportunities, fully licensed venues are still likely to remain preferable for performers.