THE Potterne Mummers Play, a 600-year tradition, will not be performed in some pubs due to the new licensing law.

The group perform the play in a number of pubs in the Devizes area in the weeks before Christmas but have discovered that most of the pubs had not ticked a box on their licence application which would have allowed the play to be performed.

Morris dancing is exempt from the licensing law but not traditional English folk plays.

The group had intended to perform the play at 23 pubs but currently only ten have a licence allowing it.

Many of the pubs without a licence are owned by Wadworth.

The group is hoping that some of the other pubs will get temporary event notices so it can perform the play.

The long term alternative is for the pubs to apply for a variation in their licence but this costs more than £190.

The group collects money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

Mummers spokesman Bob Berry said: "The play is part of our cultural heritage and it should not be lost."

He said they have written to the Government and Devizes MP Michael Ancram asking for mumming plays to be included in the exemption.

Jonathan Pollock, spokesman for Wadworth said: "The application form was a complicated document. If we had been aware of the Potterne Mummers we would have ticked the box. But there's nothing to stop licensees applying for a temporary event notice."