School show scrapped after head warned of fine and jail
A Northamptonshire school had to scrap its big musical production after its head was told he could face a £20,000 fine and possible imprisonment if it went ahead.
David Howell, the head of Danetre School in Daventry, was warned he would be liable if the We Will Rock You show, based on the music of supergroup Queen, went ahead against the advice of the district's licensing officers.
Daventry District Council said the school needed a temporary entertainments licence because it was charging people for admission to the show, scheduled to start last night.
But Mr Howell said the performance was not being staged to make a profit and was not open to the general public, so therefore should have been exempt from needing a licence.
Despite last-ditch attempts to save the musical extravaganza, it was finally postponed on Friday.
Mr Howell said: "The children are all desperately disappointed.
"It is a shame that organisations we work in partnership with have not managed to offer us the help and support we needed to put on the show.
"I was told that, if we did go ahead, I personally would be liable for prosecution and, if found guilty, could be fined up to 20,000."
Daventry District Council has said an application for a temporary event notice (TEN) was received from the school too late for the 10-day notice period required.
But Mr Howell said the TEN submitted to officers had nothing to do with the play, but referred to an application to run an interval bar at the school.
He added: "I am still of the opinion we don't need a licence at all. It finally got to the stage where I said I would give everyone their money back at the door, just so we could go ahead. But I was told that would not do, so I have had to postpone it for two weeks."
The council's managing director, Simon Bovey, said: "We understand the school's disappointment and our licensing officer has been in regular contact with the school since early last week, to try and find a way around these licensing issues.
"However, following extensive legal advice, we are unable to apply discretion to this case.
"There is absolutely no question of the council 'banning' this event; we are unable to change the licensing laws. We have advised the school to reapply for a TEN within the legally-required timescales. I understand the school has now decided to do this.
"We will be advising the school further on licensing matters, including consideration of an application for a premises licence, which would likely help them in the future."
Chairman resigns in protest
The chairman of Daventry District Council's licensing committee has resigned in protest at the debacle.
Councillor Ann Carter (Con, Walgrave) said the Licensing Act 2003 was preventing people holding fundraisers.
She said: "The council was just administering the law and didn't have a choice in the way it dealt with this.
"We are now getting to the stage where people are having to apply to host cheese and wine evenings in their own homes, because they will be selling alcohol for money.
"The form is five pages long and it is in danger of killing off the age of fundraising."
Email to a friend
Print this page- Breaking News: Teen arrested after five injured in crash on Northamptonshire road
- Major change planned for Northampton’s town centre roads
- BREAKING NEWS: Man who died following crash on Northamptonshire road named by police
- Police swoop at Northamptonshire ‘sex lay-by’ after lewd conduct revelations
- Bully trusted to look after baby jailed for breaking its leg and fracturing its rib
- Waste recycling bins begin arriving at homes across Northamptonshire
- Major change planned for Northampton’s town centre roads
- Torquay 1 - 0 Northampton: Cobblers stay bottom after third defeat in a row at Torquay United
- Police swoop at Northamptonshire ‘sex lay-by’ after lewd conduct revelations
- Cobblers fan charged with racially abusing a black player at Shrewsbury game
- Top Northampton choreographer names Olympic ceremony performance after Chron
- Anger at plans for Northampton pharmacy which wants to open 100 hours a week
- Althorp reveals Earl Spencer’s wife is expecting new baby
- Northampton Saints: Mallinder keen to keep homegrown star Diggin at Gardens
- Manchester United heroes to take on Daventry Town in game refereed by Northamptonshire MP
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: West
