Businesses, organisations and individuals who are in the field of entertainment may require a licence or other authorisation from a licensing authority or a local council.
The types of businesses and organisations that need a licence for entertainment include: nightclubs, live music venues, cinemas, larger theatres, larger street and open air festivals and larger indoor sporting arena.
Importantly, a licence may be required by: anyone who provides any entertainment between 11PM and 8AM; anyone that provides amplified live or recorded music to an audience of more than 500 people; anyone that provides recorded music to an audience on premises not licensed for the sale or supply of alcohol; anyone that puts on a performance of a play or a dance to an audience of more than 500 people, or an indoor sporting event to more than 1,000 spectators, anyone that puts on boxing or wrestling, anyone that screens a film to an audience
Does one need a licence for music entertainment?
Whether a licence is needed for music entertainment will depend on the circumstances. A licence is not required to stage a performance of live music or the playing of recorded music if it takes place between 8AM and 11PM; and it takes place at an alcohol on-licensed premises; and the audience is no more than 500 people.
One also don’t need a licence: to put on unamplified live music at any place between the same hours; or to put on amplified live music at a workplace between the same hours and provided the audience is no more than 500 people.
One licence application can cover all types of regulated entertainment and the sale or supply of alcohol.
There are exemptions from the need for a licence for music entertainment, in defined circumstances as set out in the Guidance , including for: places of public worship, village halls, church halls and other similar buildings, schools, hospitals, local authority premises, incidental music – music that is incidental to other activities that aren’t classed as regulated entertainment.
The guidance also sets out the process by which a local council can review a licence where problems may occur in relation to music entertainment and noise nuisance.
Does one need a licence to put on a play or a performance of dance?
Whether a licence is needed for a performance of a play or a dance will depend on the circumstances. A licence is not required to stage a performance of a play or a performance of dance if: it takes place between 8AM and 11PM; and the audience is no more than 500 people.
One licence application can cover all types of regulated entertainment and the sale or supply of alcohol. A licence is always required for any activity that is sexual entertainment.
Does one need a licence to stage an indoor sporting event?
Whether a licence is needed for an indoor sporting event will depend on the circumstances. A licence is not required to stage an indoor sporting event if it takes place between 8AM and 11PM; and the number of spectators is not more than 1000 people.
In other circumstances, a licence may be required. One licence application can cover all types of regulated entertainment and the sale or supply of alcohol.
Does one need a licence to screen a film?
A licence is needed to screen a film or exhibit moving pictures. One licence application can cover all types of regulated entertainment and the sale or supply of alcohol.
There are exemptions from the need for a licence for film entertainment, in defined circumstances as set out in the Guidance, including for: places of public worship, village halls, church halls and other similar buildings,
Education, incidental film or moving pictures that are incidental to other activities that aren’t classed as regulated entertainment, television broadcasts
In other circumstances, a licence may be required to show a film in public or in private, if those attending are charged for entry and the intention is to make a profit, including raising money for charity.
Licensing of entertainment under the Licensing Act 2003 is entirely different from copyright authorisation to show films in public.
