There is scope for Blu Jaz Cafe and the authorities to resolve licensing issue

It is unfortunate that Blu Jaz Cafe will be losing its public entertainment licence ("Performers, patrons feeling the blues as Blu Jaz Cafe set to lose licence to host live gigs", 16 October).

The concerns raised regarding excessive noise levels and overcrowding, and over a period of two years, are legitimate and justified: fatal infernos, exacerbated by overcrowding, have broken out in night spots all over the world and snuffed out many innocent lives.

In many ways, Blu Jaz Cafe is a worthy Singaporean entertainment institution, having played an important role as an incubator for local musical talents.

It has contributed positively to Singapore's entertainment and jazz music scene in no small ways and helped to bring in tourism dollars along the way.

Losing its public entertainment licence could very well be its death knell, which would be a pity.

Its management has indicated that it will submit an appeal to the Public Entertainment Appeal Board and to ask for a postponement of the Oct 22 licence cancellation date.

I hope the management and the authorities can come to an 11th hour agreement.

A way to achieve this could be for Blu Jaz Cafe to focus on just having live jazz gigs and to cease fringe activities such as movie screenings, dance parties and comedy nights.

Blu Jaz Cafe could also call for a safety time-out to work with the authorities to review and enhance its fire and other safety protocols and processes. It would be a win-win situation for everyone.

Already an international hub of many things, Singapore is growing in stature on the world stage every day, and becoming an international jazz hub as well is a very real possibility.

In the words of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, "Without music life would be a mistake", and in the case of Blu Jaz Cafe, it could very well be true.