Licensable objectives and activities

Licensing objectives

The Act sets out four licensing objectives which must be taken into account when a local authority carries out its functions. They are:

1. the prevention of crime and disorder
2. public safety
3. prevention of public nuisance, and
4. the protection of children from harm

Licensing objectives

The Act sets out four licensing objectives which must be taken into account when a local authority carries out its functions. They are:

1. the prevention of crime and disorder
2. public safety
3. prevention of public nuisance, and
4. the protection of children from harm

• The sale by retail of alcohol – on or off the premises
• The provision of regulated entertainment
  • a performance of a play
  • an exhibition of a film
  •  an indoor sporting event
  • a boxing or wrestling entertainment
  • a contest, exhibition or display which combines boxing or wrestling with one or more martial arts (“combined fighting sports”)
  • a performance of live music
  • any playing of recorded music
  • a performance of dance
  • entertainment of a similar description to a performance of live music, any playing of recorded music or a performance of dance
• The provision of late night refreshment.

However, The Legislative Reform (Entertainment Licensing) Order 2014 came into force on 6th April 2015. There are a number of exemptions that mean a licence is no longer required. As a result of these deregulatory changes no licence is required for the following activities to the extent that they take place between 08:00-23:00 on any day:

• a performance of a play in the presence of any audience of no more than 500 people
•  an indoor sporting event in the presence of any audience of no more than 1,000 people
•  most performances of dance in the presence of any audience of no more than 500 people;
• exhibition of a film, where it satisfies the following:
  • for 'not-for-profit' film exhibition in a community premises,
  • in the presence of any audience of no more than 500 people;
  • the organiser obtains consent for the screening, from the person responsible for the premises;
  • the organiser ensures that each screening abides by age classification ratings;
• boxing or wrestling entertainment, for a contest, exhibition or display of Greco-Roman wrestling, or freestyle wrestling, in the presence of any audience of no more than 1,000 people
• live music, where the live music comprises:
  • a performance of unamplified live music;
  • a performance of live amplified music in a workplace with an audience of no more than 500 people;
  • a performance of live music on alcohol licensed premises which takes place in the presence of an audience of no more than 500 people, provided that a number of important conditions are satisfied;  
  • a performance of live amplified music in a church hall, village hall, community hall, or other similar community premises, in the presence of an audience of no more than 500 people, with the consent of the person responsible for the premises; or
  • a performance of live amplified music at a local authority, school or a hospital with an audience of no more than 500 people with the consent of the person responsible for the relevant premises;
• recorded music comprises:
  • playing of recorded music on alcohol licensed premises which takes place in the presence of an audience of no more than 500 people;
  • playing of recorded music in a church hall, village hall, community hall, or other similar community premises, in the presence of an audience of no more than 500 people, with the consent of the person responsible for the premises;
  • playing of recorded music at a local authority, school or a hospital with an audience of no more than 500 people with the consent of the person responsible for the relevant premises;
• cross activity exemptions with no limit on audience size for:
  • any entertainment taking place on the premises of the local authority where the entertainment is provided by or on behalf of the local authority;
  • any entertainment taking place on the hospital premises of the health care provider where the entertainment is provided by or on behalf of the health care provider;
  • any entertainment taking place on the premises of the school where the entertainment is provided by or on behalf of the school proprietor; and
  • any entertainment (excluding films and a boxing or wrestling entertainment) taking place at a travelling circus, within a moveable structure that accommodates the audience and not located on the same site for more than 28 consecutive days.