Licensing Act 2003

New laws came into effect in November 2005, under the Licensing Act 2003. Over the two year period in which these laws were discussed, the NCA responded to DCMS consultations and informed members about issues relating to public entertainment licensing, including temporary events licensing and licence fees, incidental music and festivals. The NCA advocated on behalf of the arts sector throughout the discussions, to ensure that changes to licensing did not discourage arts events by imposing unrealistic financial or administrative burdens on their organisers or the licence holders of premises.

Seminar, February 2003

NCA activity began in January 2003 with a submission to the DCMS and a free NCA seminar about the Licensing Bill at which Andrew Cunningham from the DCMS spoke and answered questions.

Licence fees

Overall, the NCA was satisfied with the approach the DCMS took to the consultation process. However, the new licence fees, published in January 2005, were considered unsuitable and an Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel was set up to consider this. To read the NCA member update on Licensing Fees, click here. For the NCA response to the DCMS, click here.

During written and oral submission of evidence in August 2005, the NCA highlighted the problems of fees for what the DCMS called 'exceptionally large events of a temporary nature'. NCA members felt that this would have a disproportionate effect on festivals, which are often run on extremely tight budgets but reach large groups of people and communities. To read the NCA's response to the DCMS on temporary events, click here.

The Review Panel published an Interim Report in December 2005, acknowledging many concerns expressed by the NCA. The Report committed to further examination of these issues over the following year, once the licensing regime had had a measurable impact. Issues of temporary event notices, village and community halls and undue burden on not-for-profit groups and events, all raised by the NCA, would also be subject to further investigation before the Panel's final report in November 2006.

Information about the Licensing Act 2003, including explanatory notes on current regulations, DCMS consultations, and the Interim Report can be found on the DCMS website. To read the Licensing Act 2003, click here.

The Final Report of the Independent Fees Panel was published in December 2006 and a consultation held on Draft Revised Guidance for the Act. The NCA produced a statement regarding these in April 2007. The Live Music Forum presented its recommendations in July 2007. In October 2007, the House of Lords debated the revised Guidance under the Licencing Act and a member summary of the debate is available here.

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