§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what restrictions and licensing controls are placed by her Department upon small-scale open air events on(a) public and (b) private land. [118265]
§ Dr. HowellsThe London Government Act 1963 provides that premises in the Greater London Area on which any public dancing, music or public entertainment of a like kind or a boxing or wrestling entertainment takes place, requires a public entertainment licence. An open space in Greater London may be "premises" and a performance of music or dancing there may require a public entertainment licence.
The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, regulates public dancing, music or other public entertainment of a like kind in England and Wales outside Greater London. A licence is not required for entertainment that takes place wholly or mainly in the open air unless a local authority has passed a resolution that paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 1 to the Act shall have effect. Paragraphs 3 and 4 require public musical entertainment to be licensed if it takes place wholly or mainly in the open air and at a place on private land. The requirement for a licence does not apply to a garden fete, bazaar, sale of work, sporting or athletic event, exhibition, display or other function or event of a similar character or a religious meeting or service, merely because music is incidental to it. No licence is required under these provisions for entertainment held in a pleasure fair.
If alcohol is to be supplied at an event, the provisions of the Licensing Act 1964 or the Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 will apply, requiring authorisation for the activity.