News

Singer John Adams (left) from Finchampstead peforms with 4am
advertisement

Band's 4am name prompts pub visit for unlicensed late night music

June 20, 2012

A licensing officer who stormed a village pub was left red-faced when an advert promising 'music from 4am' was a reference to the band’s name, not the start time.

The band, whose singer John Adams is from Finchampstead, were due to play the Feathers pub in Laleham Broadway near Staines.

But after overzealous officers at Spelthorne Borough Council spotted an ad for the gig, the pub was paid a visit.

Kate Dillon, 50, licensee at The Feathers, said the pub was visited by two licensing officers and two police officers.

She added: "It’s ridiculous isn’t it and what’s amazing is, do you think that if we were going to have it that late that we would advertise it?

“He [the council's licensing officer] wanted to know if there was going to be music on until 4am, I was absolutely speechless for the first time in my life. I’m too old to stay up that late.”

The two-piece band which also includes percussionist Joe Becket, were as confused as everyone else about the stir caused by the June 1 gig.

Mr Adams said: “This has never happened to us before.

“We’re called 4am after one of our favourite tracks by Herbie Hancock. That’s how we got the name, it’s from the album Mr Hands.

“When we were looking for a name that was our favourite album. We play stuff to get the ladies dancing, it’s all dance, house and soul.”

A spokesman for Spelthorne Borough Council said: “Following a visit to The Feathers, there was no cause for concern. The visit was carried out after seeing an advertisement which mentioned 4am. On investigation, this was part of the name of the band.

“Licensing staff often make such visits, either pre-arranged or not, and The Feathers was one of a number of premises visited that night.”

Lee O’Neil, the council's assistant chief executive, said only one council officer visited the pub during a two minute visit.

He added: "It was assumed prior to the visit that ‘4am’ referred to the band’s name.

"The band wasn’t playing on the night of the licensing visit so there was no question of trying to catch anyone out or staff acting incompetently."

| Submit Comments | View Comments (2)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 2 of 2

This article sums up everything that is wrong with the press in this country. You get a local rag reporter who think he works for The Sun and then work a story around a 2 minute routine licensing visit arranged by police (not council) aimed at discussing noise complaints by residents, and it ends up with a higher profile than President Assad! Who are the idiots? I would say that they are those that don't exercise the same cynicism about the press as they do about the supposed exploits of council or police staff. All the best x