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Licensing Act - fao Rebecca StalkerDear, Jael Edwards, Tehmina Bhote, Martin Bazley, Karen Vine, Jane Walton and all who are worried about the issue of the Licensing Act with regard to Museum events/activities. Having read your e mails passed by gem I have contacted the MA who have sent me this reply (hope this helps everyone) see below Best wishes to all Bekki Rebecca Stalker Education Officer Wiltshire Heritage Museum TEl: 01380 727369 ----- Original Message ----- From: Helen Wilkinson To: [log in to unmask] Cc: Katie Dawson Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 12:57 PM Subject: Licensing Act - fao Rebecca Stalker Dear Rebecca I have consulted a colleague at the National Campaign for the Arts to try to clarify the question about the impact of the new Licensing Act on education events. This is a summary of her understanding. Firstly, local authorities are the bodies responsible for licensing organisations to hold events. So it would be very strange for a local authority to tell museums that they could no longer hold events - it is within their power to license them to do so. Secondly, if events are clearly educational then the local authority may agree that they are exempt and that the museum does not require a licence to hold them. The Licensing Act is intended to cover those events which are for entertainment rather than education and which have a view to making a profit - so corporate hire falls into this category, but education events using live interpreters probably do not - although this is open to interpretation. Thirdly, if a museum is holding the kind of event which requires a licence, it should be relatively cheap for them to get one. It should only cost about £100 a year, possibly even less. The local authority could refuse a licence, but only on one of a number of grounds - e.g. that the events proposed might give rise to crime or cause public disorder. Museum events shouldn't fall into any of these categories. The key is to negotiate with your local authority. They should look favourably on applications from bodies which they support and whose aims they endorse. The Licensing Act shouldn't stop any museums from holding events. I hope that helps - Helen Helen Wilkinson Policy Officer Museums Association Tel: 020 7426 6950 email: [log in to unmask]