The Stage

Government opens consultation on licence exemption for music venues

Published Tuesday 5 January 2010 at 15:43 by Natalie Woolman

Public consultation has now opened on proposals from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that would allow small venues to stage live music performances without a licence.

Under the plans, gigs for 100 people or fewer would no longer need a licence, in a change to the Licensing Act 2003. The consultation document is available on the DCMS website and the public can respond to its contents until March 26, 2010.

Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe claimed that the proposed changes showed the government’s support for live music. He said: “Going to see a band, musician or singer is a very important part of many people’s lives and we’re keen to do what we can to support audiences and musicians.”

However, the proposals fall short of the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, which previously called for an exemption for events with capacities of 200 people or fewer.

CMS select committee chairman and Conservative MP John Whittingdale spoke to The Stage when the consultation on the 100-person capacity exemption was announced in parliament in October and complained that the proposal “does not go far enough”.

The consultation document acknowledges the select committee’s recommendations and that proposals to exempt events of up to 200 people were welcomed by music campaigners and the Musicians’ Union. However, it states that this suggestion was “strongly opposed” by licensing authorities and the police in an earlier pre-consultation held by the government. This resulted in the decrease from a 200-people to 100-people maximum in the new proposals.

Under the plans, exempted venues would have to fulfil other requirements including ensuring that the audience is contained within the building while the performance is taking place, to prevent noise escaping, and that exempt performances take place between 8am and 11pm.