Hallé orchestra told it can't call itself the UK's oldest

The Hallé Orchestra has been told it can no longer promote itself as Britain's longest-established permanent professional orchestra. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) delivered the ruling after investigating a claim that the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) was older.

The Hallé, which was formed in Manchester in 1858 by Charles Hallé, acknowledged that the Liverpool Philharmonic Society, which later became the RLPO, was founded in 1840, but said it was 'an organisation that acted as a concert promoter, rather than being an orchestra'.

The ASA upheld the complaint, however, arguing that there was not enough evidence to substantiate the Hallé's claim, and therefore it was 'misleading'.