Disaster predicted for community events

18 November 2009

MOUNTING costs could spell disaster for groups across Weston and Worle - a community leader says.

PPL, the company that licenses recordings and music video for broadcasts and public performances is looking at introducing an annual fee for those who want to play music at small fund-raising events.

Worle Community Association chairman Joan Thompson says the news could mean the end of the get togethers enjoyed at the centre she runs in Lawrence Road.

She said: "When you take away the music, what else is there we could do?

"Many of the events we hold at the moment do not make a profit anyway and we can only run them thanks to grants. We just couldn't afford extra fees."

Community centres and other venues already pay an annual membership for playing music at events, but the new fee would be added on top of the current one to make a more expensive licence.

National Council for Voluntary Organisations chief executive Stuart Etherington said: "It is shameful that money intended for charitable causes will go on paying royalties for playing music.

"It will effectively spell the death of the charity tea dance in a village hall or a fund-raising disco in aid of a good cause.