Equity is deeply disappointed that the Government has rejected some key proposals for changes to the current entertainment licensing scheme which would have lifted some significant barriers to work faced by entertainers. The union is now calling on members to lobby their MPs to back an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling on the Government to think again.


Since the new licensing regime came into force in November 2005 Equity members, especially those working as variety artists, have raised major concerns about the its negative impact on their working lives and have called for four important changes to the regulations:


• exemption for venues presenting live music with a capacity of 200 or under;

• reintroduction of the ‘two-in-a-bar’ rule for acoustic music

• simplified licensing for travelling shows such as circuses and Punch and Judy;

• creation of a new class of venue for the licensing of lap dancing or pole dancing clubs which would not classify them as “sex encounter establishments”;


In May this year the Department of Culture Media and Sport Committee, after months of consultation, published a report which recommended changes in all four of these key areas, but on 9 July the Government announced that the only one of these changes it was willing to make was on licensing for circuses and Punch and Judy.


Stephen Spence, Equity Assistant General Secretary Live Performance, commented: “There will be thousands of variety artists up and down the country who will be disappointed and astonished at this short-sightedness. The changes they asked for were simple, easy to implement, and by-and-large cost free. The effect would have been a significant increase in the number of venues hosting live entertainment – a benefit to artists and audiences in these recessionary times.


“Equity is mobilising to challenge the Government’s reluctance to act. Sympathetic MPs are backing an early day motion calling for changes to support performers, Equity will write to Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw calling for a re-think and once the legislative timetable is clear Equity members will be encouraged to write to their MPs calling for them to intervene.”

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Early Day Motion
EDM 1920 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE LICENSING ACT 200316.07.2009


Anderson, Janet
That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to investigate proposals around portable licences for circus entertainment; is, however, extremely disappointed at the Government's rejection of many of the other excellent recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report on the Licensing Act 2003, including an exemption for small venues, better consistency between local authorities, the hybrid proposal for licensing lap dancing establishments and the scrapping of Form 696; celebrates the cultural value of live performances as an integral part of the creative sector; and therefore urges the Government to reassess its position and to take note of the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report which are supported by the unions representing live performers and entertainers throughout the UK.

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Read the Government's response to the Culture Media and Sport Committee here: www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/433147_Cm_7684.pdf