Colin Lodge in his letter Are we dancing the wrong dance' (Echo, June 21) states he is member of Wessex Morris and that some mummers plays have dancing performed within their theatrical plots and that this is equally as ancient tradition as morris.

On a purely practical level, it is probably better that mumming plays are classed as morris rather than classing morris as mumming.

Most readers would not get too excited one way or another on this subject but they probably would expect that any recent legislation would value and treat such similar traditions equally.

Sadly this is not the case. The Echo of December 18 2002, (Morris men's play is banned') details where a performance of a mumming play - by the very same Wessex Morris Men - was prevented by the officers of West Dorset Council under the previous licensing legislation.

Sadly, the recently introduced Licensing Act 2003, still requires premises, where one of these traditions takes place, to obtain prior Entertainment Permission.

The maximum penalties for licensees and those knowingly organising this tradition without this permission remain a £20.000 fine or six months in prison.

So despite the public concern expressed then and the Echo comment of that date calling for a change in the legislation in order to prevent a repeat - this story is set to be repeated for this tradition.

For under the new legislation, the other is now specifically and clearly exempt from this requirement.

It is difficult to see how both cultural activities can be encouraged in legislation, by distinctions such as these and also how these can be justified under the four main objectives of this legislation.

Sadly, this is not the only inequality encouraged by this legislation and by the damaging local interpretations imposed under it.

The Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has set up The Live Music Forum which is about to announce recommendations for changes to this legislation. I am not sure if any of these recommendations will be accepted by the Government. Or, if they are, if this will prevent a repeat of the December 2002 story.

Roger Gall, Wakeham, Portland.