Play it again, Steve!
AN Ely landlord has side-stepped licensing laws preventing him from booking an in-house pianist by bringing in a piano that plays itself. Steve Haslam, landlord of The Cutter Inn is trialling the £10,000 digital piano for two weeks, and is inviting guests
AN Ely landlord has side-stepped licensing laws preventing him from booking an in-house pianist by bringing in a piano that plays itself.
Steve Haslam, landlord of The Cutter Inn is trialling the £10,000 digital piano for two weeks, and is inviting guests in his restaurant to decide whether the instrument will stay or go.
"We want to get away from playing CDs to a different type of atmosphere, and piano music shouldn't be the preserve of exclusive country hotels, " he said.
"We are just trying to give people something they wouldn't normally find - it never plays a bum note and it just sounds wonderful."
The piano is set up to play around the restaurant, and can play requests from a memory bank full of hundreds of familiar tunes.
Visitors will vote on the piano's future as they leave the restaurant over the next fortnight, and the feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive.
Most Read
- 1 Back garden log cabin needs permission says council
- 2 Preschool 'special in people's hearts' to close after more than 30 years
- 3 Daughter pays tribute to model engineer who 'tried his hand at anything'
- 4 BMX star, 11, hopes world debut can lead to Olympics dream
- 5 ‘It’s sadly coming to a natural end’ - restaurant to close its doors by August
- 6 Change of plan for A142 Mepal bridge works as July closures announced
- 7 ‘Inspirational’ teacher, Esmeralda, honoured in national teaching awards
- 8 Platinum Jubilee: The Queen's visits to Cambridgeshire in pictures
- 9 New bid for housing thwarted by Great Crested Newts
- 10 21st century agreement on future of 17th century pub
Despite the piano's electronic tutorial function, Mr Haslam said he won't be learning to tinkle the ivories just yet.
"I'd love to be able to play the piano," he said, "but it takes a lot of dedication and I just don't have the time - maybe if its still here in 10 years I shall learn to play it.