Local MP fights hall hire levy

Proposed legislation would impose the charge on churches wanting to hold events in their parish halls or recitals in their churches.

The plan has been lashed as "barking mad" by the town's MP.

A clause in the otherwise-benign Licensing Bill would force church leaders to see a 300 public entertainment licence for any event in their hall or church other than an act of public worship.

There would also be annual fees to cover the cost of regular local authority inspections. The regulation would allow churches to hold up to five events a year without a licence if attended by fewer than 500 people a time.

At St Augustine's, where parish and community life has been transformed this year by the completion of a church hall after years of fund-raising and campaigning, the Vicar says the church's essential community out-reach would be wrecked in the Bill became law without amendment.

The Rev Robert Coates proudly showed Bexhill and Battle MP Gregory Barker the new hall. Mr Coates said: "The proposed law says that if we want to hold six or more events a year we have to apply for an entertainments licence for every one."

St Augustine's has just held its first Christmas fair in its new hall. It raised 1,350. If in force, the proposed new law would have slashed parishoners' efforts to little more than 1,000 profit.

Mr Coates said: "For many less affluent parishes this is going to be a big burden.

"One of the functions of all Christian churches is out-reach into the community, so this legislation could cause massive problems.

"If churches have to pay a licence fee before putting on an event in most instances they won't be able to do it."