A Premises Licence or Temporary Event Notice under the Licensing Act 2003 is needed to provide music, dancing, singing, karaoke and other 'regulated entertainment'. Licences apply to theatres and cinemas as well as music and dancing in pubs and clubs.
What is Regulated Entertainment?
It is only considered an entertainment when it takes place or is intended to take place in the presence of an audience.
Regulated Entertainment includes:
- Open air film shows
- Pool or darts tournaments where spectators are present
- Swimming galas where spectators are present
- Fairgrounds and Circuses
- Buskers in the street
- Music events in buildings, marquees or open spaces
Changes Under the New Licensing System
The provision of entertainment facilities for music, or dancing, or anything of a similar description is a licensable activity. If a piano or a karaoke machine is left in the public area of a premises for the use of patrons then this becomes the provision of facilities and licensable.
Premises Licences have replaced separate Theatre, Cinema and Public Entertainment Licences issued under previous legislation, and exemptions under previous liquor licences have been removed.
The '2 in a Bar' Exemption has been Removed
Musical performance by up to 2 musicians was previously exempt from a licence at premises that sold alcohol unless there was also public dancing (the '2 in a bar' rule). However, it has become a licensable activity under the new licensing system.
A licence variation must be applied for if you converted your previous liquor licence during the transitional period without any variation and did not hold a public entertainment licence. Go to Apply for a Licence to download variation application forms.
Playing recorded music has also become a licensable activity, but you do not need to apply for a variation.
Outdoor and Street Entertainment
The Licensing Act 2003 extends licensable entertainment to all land including open spaces and public highways, not just private land.
For more information, see the pages in this section for:
What Entertainment Can You Provide Without a Licence?
- Incidental music – performing live music or playing recorded music if it is incidental to some other activity which is not itself regulated entertainment
- Entertainment at garden fetes or similar events, if not being promoted or held for private gain
- Morris Dancing or similar dancing, and ancillary unamplified music
- Entertainment as part of a religious service or at premises used for religious worship
- Live broadcast television
- Films for the purposes of advertisements, information, education, instruction or as part of an exhibit in a museum or art gallery
Go to Guide to Regulated Entertainment to find out more about providing entertainments, with answers to common questions including information for church halls and community centres.
Applying for a Licence
If you wish to provide entertainment, see our Apply for a Licence section to get application forms, with guidance on how to apply in Eastbourne. The Premises Licence also allows you to sell and supply alcohol and sell late night hot food if you wish to apply for these other licensable activities.
Licences Needed from Other Organisations
Premises playing or performing music also need copyright licences from:
Showing films and videos outside cinemas also needs a copyright licence, from Filmbank Distributors - telephone 0207 984 5950. These licences are not issued by the council - see Other Websites for more information and contact the relevant organisations direct.
