Glasgow in U-turn on licences for free events

GLASGOW Council has backed down over plans to force people organising free entertainment to pay to licence their event.

The local authority announced the U-turn last night in the face of a high profile campaign against the proposals which would have cost events organisers up to £7,500 for a licence. Previously, one was only required for events charging admission.

Celebrity supporters such as Franz Ferdinand front man Alex Kapranos and author Alasdair Gray have backed the campaign, claiming the charges could destroy the city’s thriving arts scene.

Last night, the city council said that following a unanimous decision by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee, the council “will now not require a licence for events which are for a temporary period and are of a non-commercial nature.”

Councillor Frank Docherty, chairman of the committee, acknowledged the impact of the campaign on the council’s decision.