Worthing's Beach Piano banned by council killjoys!

[The Doctor]

And so another victory for bureaucracy in its war against freedom, public entertainment, enjoyment and an attempt to brighten up the seafront!

Yes, some jobsworth has decided that although Coast Café, the owners of the beach piano, has a licence for music it’s the wrong sort of licence and gave the owner just five minutes to remove the piano.

The full report, and a video, is on the Worthing Herald website, but basically the licence is for ‘professional’ musicians only and that performances have to be announced 48 hours in advance. Therefore, the café can not provide a piano for just any member of the public to play, oh no siree, we can’t have the public enjoying themselves can we?

The bottom line is that complaints had been made to the council about kids ‘just banging the keys’, now I can understand the council needing to act on such complaints, but surely a common sense approach* would have been to allow only serious players to use it in the sort-term?

And in the longer-term sort out the correct licence required to allow this excellent idea to continue to bring free entertainment and enjoyment to the seafront.

I’ve spoken to Coast Café’s owner, Stefan Sykes, and he has said he would have been happy to have policed such an arrangement, so surely Worthing council should now re-consider their decision?

* On, hang on a minute, I’ve just used the term ‘common sense’ in the same sentence as ‘council’, silly me, move along nothing to see here.

[The Wrenjacks]

And so another victory for bureaucracy in its war against freedom, public entertainment, enjoyment and an attempt to brighten up the seafront!

Yes, some jobsworth has decided that although Coast Café, the owners of the beach piano, has a licence for music it’s the wrong sort of licence and gave the owner just five minutes to remove the piano.

The full report, and a video, is on the Worthing Herald website, but basically the licence is for ‘professional’ musicians only and that performances have to be announced 48 hours in advance. Therefore, the café can not provide a piano for just any member of the public to play, oh no siree, we can’t have the public enjoying themselves can we?

The bottom line is that complaints had been made to the council about kids ‘just banging the keys’, now I can understand the council needing to act on such complaints, but surely a common sense approach* would have been to allow only serious players to use it in the sort-term?

And in the longer-term sort out the correct licence required to allow this excellent idea to continue to bring free entertainment and enjoyment to the seafront.

I’ve spoken to Coast Café’s owner, Stefan Sykes, and he has said he would have been happy to have policed such an arrangement, so surely Worthing council should now re-consider their decision?

* On, hang on a minute, I’ve just used the term ‘common sense’ in the same sentence as ‘council’, silly me, move along nothing to see here.

Its wrong that this doesnt suprise me

[The Doctor]

It also looks like the Live Music Event and Arts Family Fun Day @ Coast Cafe, Splash Worthing has been cancelled.

I am being told by various reliable sources that the council refused an events licence, although I've not had a reply from the organisers yet to confirm it.

[treehugger]

So much for Splash Point becoming the 'cultural hotspot' of Worthing!

It just seems any good idea gets the thumb down from the council, what is wrong with them?

[amateur_uk]

Why oh Why is the Town Council Hell bent on killing the town

First it’s the Traffic warrens and the high parking prices.

Then it’s the shops closing down in the town.

It’s bad enough that most of the shops in the town are closed by 5pm.

Then trying to close the nightclub down for the under 18’s.

Dose any know what the out come of that was

Then the seaweed and its smell.

And now the council is stopping a little fun and entertainment from someone who want to build his business up and bring a smile to the people who visit the town and the beach.

What next

No Laughing, smilling or evening talking when in the town

Worthing is not just for the retired, as the council want us all to believe.

We are now in 2009 and not back in the 50’s,

having said that just after the war etc people could have fun with just about anything even a piano and No one would give a dam...... but join in

Worthing should be a fun town.

Will the last grumpy councillor leave the town and switch ON the Lights so the rest of can enjoy what we have left.

And no i am not that old.

[SussexBilly]

Kill the town No save the cheerleader!

Only joking….

Looks like it’s coming true

So what can we do about it?

I have often been in the town at the weekend Saturday as well as Sunday’s and seen people and bands playing outside the shopping areas, so who has the licence for that? And if as the council says performances have to be announced 48 hours in advance, where are the announcements made?

I think we should get together with Splash FM for an award evening

Council Muppet of the week

Day 4 and no reply from the council as to the seaweed email i sent>

[SussexBilly]

Sorry but i do hope some grey man in a grey suit reads this web site, maybe they will get the idea that the town is being Killed by it's own Council.

[spider]

I despair sometimes, what on earth was the council official thinking? This project has had a fair amount of very positive media coverage and now that’s been totally reversed and people are just going to be laughing at Worthing.

Well, done Mr Official……….









……. pictured earlier today:

[The Wrenjacks]

Why oh Why is the Town Council Hell bent on killing the town

First it’s the Traffic warrens and the high parking prices.

Then it’s the shops closing down in the town.

It’s bad enough that most of the shops in the town are closed by 5pm.

Then trying to close the nightclub down for the under 18’s.

Dose any know what the out come of that was

Then the seaweed and its smell.

And now the council is stopping a little fun and entertainment from someone who want to build his business up and bring a smile to the people who visit the town and the beach.

What next

No Laughing, smilling or evening talking when in the town

Worthing is not just for the retired, as the council want us all to believe.

We are now in 2009 and not back in the 50’s,

having said that just after the war etc people could have fun with just about anything even a piano and No one would give a dam...... but join in

Worthing should be a fun town.

Will the last grumpy councillor leave the town and switch ON the Lights so the rest of can enjoy what we have left.

And no i am not that old.

Great post, as are the others, and I completely agree with most of the points mentioned so far.

Its heartening to read these posts even if there are not many of us. I wouldnt mind betting that most people in Worthing feel just as we do, and if thats the case there is hope for the town yet...

[kitty]

lol at that picture.

i can't believe they have done this, i was looking forward to checking it out now i've recovered from flu and after hearing my mum go on about stopping there for a coffee and enjoying a performance.

i feel robbed.

[amateur_uk]

Nice photo, BuTT I am not sure which council member it is. Any ideas, give us a clue!!!!

[The Doctor]

Nice photo, BuTT I am not sure which council member it is. Any ideas, give us a clue!!!!

I don't think it was a council member, i.e. elected, but a council official/employee.

[spider]

Interesting to see not a single 'NO' vote so far, proving just how unpopular this move by the council has been. .

[Freddie Ferret]

Looks like the Deputy Leader of the council would be happy to see the piano being used in the way The Boss described in the first post, according to this from The Argus:

Coun John Rogers, deputy leader of the council, said: “As with other things it's the few that spoil it for the many.

“The beach chalet users complained that passing children were messing around on the piano making an awful noise and not playing it properly.

“This was witnessed for a 15-20 minute period by our licencing officer one day.

“Stefan has been reminded that his entertainment licence does not allow impromptu use. He can ask for an amendment, but he will need to show he can control the use to proper playing.

“I have suggested a simple padlock on the keyboard lid that can be removed when a proper player comes along.”

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/45335...d_banged_shut/

[The Doctor]

Interesting to see not a single 'NO' vote so far, proving just how unpopular this move by the council has been. .

Well it's a first amongst the polls held on here so far.

Looks like the Deputy Leader of the council would be happy to see the piano being used in the way The Boss described in the first post, according to this from The Argus:

I wonder if he's been reading the forums.

Good find Freddie, that's positive news, I hope Stefan Sykes goes for that licence amendment, he must know that he has a lot of public support for this project.

I still think he should have been allowed to continue under those conditions pending having the licence amended, what harm could it have done?

EDIT:

Just been reading the comments left on The Argus' site and they make depressing reading, such bad publicity for the town.

However, this one did make me LOL.

Imagination and Initiative used in Worthing. Close it down immediatly. Suprised they havn't given it a parking ticket yet.

[The Doctor]

Whilst we have, at least for the time being, lost the beach piano – the BBC is reporting that Bristol is to get not one, not two, not three, but twenty street pianos!

Pianos to be dotted around city

Up to 20 stand-up pianos are to be placed around Bristol, for the public to play, in celebration of the city's revamped music venue.

Luke Jerram has taken his 'Play Me, I'm Yours' idea across the globe, and has been booked by his home city to mark next month's Colston Hall reopening.

The pianos will be chained to lampposts or trees, and protected from the rain by tarpaulin sheets from 4 September.

They were bought from a local piano removal firm at a cost of £100 each.

Canvass for creativity

Mr Jerram, 34, said he had come up with the idea while at a laundrette.

He said: "I noticed that people weren't talking to each other, even though it was the same people every week. It was the same queuing for the bus.

"I thought 'wouldn't it be nice transform that situation'. So I thought about putting a piano in that situation, and it seemed to work.

"I have taken the idea around the world, and I'm taking it home."

Mr Jarram has taken the concept to Brazil, Australia and around the UK.

He said: "There seems to be a lot of musicians out there who don't have access to a piano. It's a canvass for their creativity."

BBC report 10th Aug 2009

[kitty]

However, this one did make me LOL.

Quote:
Imagination and Initiative used in Worthing. Close it down immediatly. Suprised they havn't given it a parking ticket yet.

lol

Whilst we have, at least for the time being, lost the beach piano – the BBC is reporting that Bristol is to get not one, not two, not three, but twenty street pianos!

BBC report 10th Aug 2009

i wonder if bristol council has insisted on the trees and lampposts taking out licences?

[Freddie Ferret]

Well done Bristol, let's hope Stefan applies for this other licence for the beach piano.

[spider]

i wonder if bristol council has insisted on the trees and lampposts taking out licences?

That's actually a very good point, how is Bristol dealing with the licensing issues?

[seasidegeek]

Well done Bristol, let's hope Stefan applies for this other licence for the beach piano.

Does anyone know if he's going for this licence amendment and if there's a cost involved or just loads of paperwork?

[treehugger]

if there's a cost involved or just loads of paperwork?

I think it's safe to assume there'll be a cost and loads of bureaucracy.

[stef sykes]

I'm delighted that the Beach Joanna has created such a stir; many thanks to Andrew (who's idea it was) Becky and Dan for making it happen.
Anyone can come and play it, just give me a bell at Coast Cafe (216937) before coming and you can get on the list; payment will be a tea or coffee!
In the meantime, I will apply for that license amendment this week...the piano should be about until October at least.
Accompaniments always welcome!
Worthing is changing and some people do find that difficult, but most people love the changes.
Viva La Revolucione!

[kitty]

In the meantime, I will apply for that license amendment this week...the piano should be about until October at least.

*waves*

good luck with the licence amendment, will the piano return next year if you get it?

[The Doctor]

I'm delighted that the Beach Joanna has created such a stir; many thanks to Andrew (who's idea it was) Becky and Dan for making it happen.
Anyone can come and play it, just give me a bell at Coast Cafe (216937) before coming and you can get on the list; payment will be a tea or coffee!
In the meantime, I will apply for that license amendment this week...the piano should be about until October at least.
Accompaniments always welcome!
Worthing is changing and some people do find that difficult, but most people love the changes.
Viva La Revolucione!

Hi Stef and welcome onboard, glad you found the place.

It's great to see 305 votes in the poll here, all in support of your efforts, please do keep us informed on future developments.

[kitty]

is there any more news on the piano?