Mela joy after council licence fee slashed following appeal

Published on Thursday 17 July 2008 11:04

THE cost of the Mela Festival's licence has been cut back to £1500 following a plea to the council.

Festival organisers last week attacked the city council for increasing its licence fee by 129 per cent to 8000, but, following a hearing, councillors have now agreed to reduce the fee to 1500 because it is a charitable event.

Councillor Colin Keir, the council's regulatory committee convener, said: "The Mela gave a very good presentation and explained that it is a charitable event and doesn't get a massive amount of sponsorship. We look at things on an individual basis and we try to be fair."

The local authority has given the charity a grant worth around 80,000 for the event, but originally planned to take around ten per cent of that back in fees.

Last year, organisers launched a similar appeal to reduce the cost of the licence. It had been set at 5500, and was cut to 3500.

Performers will travel from all over the world to Leith for the Mela, which will run next to Ocean Terminal from August 25-31.