First Post for FD Music Industry Entrepreneurship

Is there any justification for owners of pubs/clubs not paying an agreed fee?

I came across this topic on Facebook, yes Jon Goode, FACEBOOK. There was a young musician regaling the Swansea Musicians group with a tale of woe. Landlady books her after seeing her perform at a previous, well attended  gig as solo acoustic act, agrees fee with her. She turns up and the pub is empty, she offers not to play at the start but landlady says "no play" So she does two sets, packs up, goes to get paid, and is greeted with "what you want paying?" "you emptied my pub" etc etc. In the end the musician gets paid half of the agreed fee.

Is there any justification for the landlady's behaviour? Personally i dont think so, i have always been paid the full agreed fee, even though a couple of times it involved not moving until being paid (pub owners won't lock a drummer in a pub). This is becoming more common, if some stories i've heard are true. If part of the contract is that you bring a certain number of punters then so be it, but if its a case of being paid to play your music, especially if the person booking you has seen you before, then there is no justification at all.

Unless the band wreck the place a la The Who.

I thank you.