Health and safety ban on piano man
July 9th 2007 A cruise passenger was banned from playing the grand piano on a ship - in case he hurt his fingers.
According to a report on icwales.co.uk, businessman, Andrew Studley started his recital at the end of the evening to entertain some friends, but was quickly silenced by a cruise official who said they did not have "the health and safety insurance' for him to play the piano.
"Apparently they were worried about an insurance claim if I had hurt my fingers or had some sort of accident," Mr Studley is reported as saying.
The company managing director, whose playing has been compared to the light style of Richard Clayderman, is a trained musician and, until now, has always enjoyed being able to put on free performances in restaurants and bars.
"I couldn't believe it when the managers told me that I couldn't play," he says, "twice now I have been told I can't play for health and safety reasons, if venues continue to ban amateurs then classic romantic scenes - such as the surprise serenade given by Richard Gere in Pretty Woman to Julia Roberts - will never happen for real."
Mr Studley is now taking out his own £2m insurance cover so that he can play the piano on the cruise liner.
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