Call for licensing review over cancelled concert
A motion to review licensing laws has been put forward by Daventry District Council after a school in the area was forced to postpone a performance of Queen musical We Will Rock You.
Headteacher at Danetre School, David Howell, was warned he could face a 20,000 fine and possible imprisonment unless he cancelled the show at the last minute, because the school did not have an entertainments licence.
He maintained the performance did not need a licence because it was not being staged to make money, but the council's licensing advisors said because the school was charging for admissions, it needed a Temporary Entertainments Notice (TEN).
The district council has now written to MP John Whittingdale, chairman of the culture, media & sport select committee, to urge him to review loopholes in the Licensing Act.
Managing director, Simon Bovey, wrote: "Following a particular instance whereby a school in Daventry was obliged to postpone a school musical production causing great upset to pupils, staff and parents, and resulting in this council being brought into disrepute, the council resolved that: 'The Governmentbe asked to urgently review and amend the provisions of the Licensing Act, 2003, with a view to not onlyproviding greater clarity in general but, in particular, introducing an exemption with respect to fundraising eventsproposed by educationalproviders on educational premises for the benefit of the educational establishment– providing no alcohol is to be available.'.
"There have been other examples in Daventry district of event organisers having to adjust or abort events organised purely to raise funds for local or national charities that, to the general public, seems overly bureaucratic and unnecessary."
He added the select committee should "positively respond" to the motion and reform licensing laws, so the debacle could be avoided in the future.
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