THE cultural life of rural communities will be destroyed if the Government's plan to force churches to pay for entertainment licences goes ahead, it was claimed this week.

"In many rural areas, the church is the only sizeable venue to stage a concert and the extra costs involved may well mean that such events become a thing of the past," said the Rev John Davies, Vicar of St Oswald's, Sowerby.

Mr Davies has lobbied local MPs, as have concerned members of the congregation.

He was referring to the Government's scheme to introduce legislation whereby churches and village halls will have to pay for entertainment licences.

Most village halls already have a licence which covers entertainment events organised by other people. Churches do not.

William Hague, MP for Richmond, has tabled a series of parliamentary questions to the Government criticising the plan.

"This blatant case of nonsensical over-regulation must be stopped," he said.

"The Government pays lip service to building stronger communities but then introduces legislation that can only harm those institutions at the heart of them.

"Many of my constituents have raised concerns with me over the provision of this Bill which will prevent many small churches reaching out to their local community. It may also put an end to a great deal of local music-making and performances that have taken place for hundreds of years."

Anne McIntosh, MP for the Vale of York, has also joined the protest.

She has taken up the matter with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Church Estates Commissioners on behalf of church music groups.

"The Church of England alone faces a bill of £2.6m a year. These costs will either have to be passed on to voluntary groups or churches may have to refuse permission for vital fund-raising causes. This is yet another example of crude Government intervention damaging community life.