A parliamentary Bill which eases licensing restrictions for live music has been welcomed as a potential lifeline by pubs in Bath.

The legislation, which has been championed by Bath MP Don Foster and which passed through the House of Commons unanimously, removes licensing restrictions for unamplified music and for amplified music performed to audiences of fewer than 200 people between 8pm and 11pm.

The Government has announced it would be "appropriate" to enact the legislation in time for the Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Alan Morgan, who runs Abbey Ales brewery and owns pubs in the city, said: "This Bill will bring huge advantages to small venues that are being crippled by unnecessary licensing restrictions.

"It means publicans will not have to apply for licenses to play music.

"A live band, especially on a quiet night in the week, could mean the difference between people turning up to a pub or choosing to stay home drinking supermarket beer.

"With so many pubs in the UK closing in recent years, this could be a way for some that are struggling to generate enough income to weather the storm."

Manager of the Assembly Inn in Alfred Street, Caroline Walcot, said: "We have always wanted to do a live music night but in the past we have had to fill in a temporary events notice, which we have to submit weeks in advance. With the new Bill passed we can now start looking for suitable bands."

Not all are pleased by the Bill, however.

Before its Third Reading in the Commons, Henry Brown, chairman of the Federation of Bath Residents' Associations, warned that the legislation would "at a stroke... remove noise controls from most venues in the city" and cause disruption for residents in the city centre.

But Lib Dem MP Mr Foster said the changes would "strengthen the British music scene immensely".

"The current system has had a deadening effect on the performance of live music in small venues," he said.

"At the moment, the landlord of a small pub could face a big fine and imprisonment for letting a customer play a piano without a licence.

"The support received in the Commons from all MPs from all political parties just goes to show how important live music is in our country and the overwhelming support for changing our obstructive licensing laws."