FESTIVAL GETS LICENCE

The Festival licence was granted last night, including the new limit of 59,999. I spoke in favour of a limit of 40,000 - as last year - but predictably it fell on deaf ears, though local people have thanked me for doing so. When Conservatives - who constituted the entire Licensing Committee - have to balance the interests of business and local people there is no contest. All a waste of time really, particularly when my own local councillor was banned from speaking. I would have told them to get lost if that had affected Pan.