PUB licensees from all over Blackburn and Darwen have accused council chiefs of being "stubborn" over a clampdown on karaoke and discos.

More than 20 landlords attended an hour-long town hall meeting after Blackburn with Darwen Council said it would be enforcing public entertainment licence laws to the letter.

But they left frustrated, accusing council chiefs of silencing music in the towns pubs and bars.

The council is now enforcing its clampdown and, even though entertainment licence fees have been reduced for smaller premises, where fewer than 200 people are present, from £586 to £100, licencees still say they face huge rewiring and fireproofing costs.

Frank O'Malley, licencee at the Hindle Arms, Lower Darwen, and the Hole House Inn, Burnley Road, Blackburn, said: "I don't know why they bothered. They know what they want to do and they are not budging.

"We are getting absolutely no leeway and as far as I can see I will now no longer be able to get an artist and of course it will spoil it for pubs which have karaoke." Pat McDonald, of PM Entertainments, of Green Lane, Blackburn, said: "Put simply, this will put me out of business.

"It is absolutely disgusting. I will be wiped out. They are doing this to the exact letter of the law, so I am going to have huge problems.

"I realise they have put the fee down but small pubs still need to have new electrics and exits put in before they can go ahead and have karaoke.

"They just aren't going to do it. The council have shown no appreciation that this affects businesses other than pubs."

A council spokeswoman: "The council conducted a survey of ten local authorities in Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

"All authorities interpret the rules concerning licences in accordance with the Home Office guidance document.

"They all indicated that they enforce public entertainment legislation in respect of karaoke and not one authority said they do not require public entertainment licences for karaoke events."

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