I went around town the other day, handing out posters for Ripfest and asking in certain shops if they'd put one up for me. I usually get them put up in Electron Records, Alternative Sounds, Weird & Wonderfull, Hellraisers, (used to be on Parliment st. now in the market)The Creepy Crawly shop, that Jazzy barbers across from Paradise Island, and probably most important of all, the Library, where they actually have three seperate public notice boards. Fly posting is illegal in Burnley now (and if they don't catch you doing it red handed, they turn up to the event you're advertising and get you that way) so this is the only way for me to get posters up advertising events I have organised.
When I went to the Library, I was told "Sorry, but we can't put that up." I asked why not and the lady replied "Because it's a profit making event." She went on to tell me that even if it was for charity, I still wouldn't be able to put a poster up on the public notice board in probably THE most public building in Burnley, because someone would still be profiting from it.
"But hang on a minute" I said, "What about that poster for a live concert that you have on the board?"
"Oh that's different," she replied "That's at the Mechanics and they're run by the council!"
I'm not happy, I smell a rat and I'm going to see what I can do about this situation because I really don't think it's fair that the council can stop you advertising your event in a public place and effectively own the monopoly on it.
A while ago, I helped to organise the M3 Whitesnake gig at the Mechanics, an event that sold out compleatly with hard drinking punters, they probably made more profit that night than almost any other event that they organise and this is the thanks I get?
Sod 'em!
