Live Music Bill moves on up

The much discussed Live Music Bill has gained further momentum this week in its attempts to slash the red tape for small venues, passing the Committee Stage in the House of Lords.

The Bill, introduced by Lib Dem peer Lord Clement Jones, will now progress to its third and final reading and report stage before reaching the summit of the royal assent.

In a further twist, the Local Government Association (LGA) are now fully supporting the bill following some amendments, including closing potential loopholes that the new legislation could create around audiences bringing their own alcohol to venues that aren’t licensed.

In a statement, the LGA said: “Having been amended we now support the Bill in its present form. We are fully in favour of making it easier for people to hold concerts, plays and public events and we support the aim of making the process as easy, transparent and free from red tape as possible”.

It continues: “We have concerns that a loophole exists for small live music events where alcohol is brought in by the audience, and not supplied by the organiser, will not require a licence. This increases the risk to the audience and residents and we urge DCMS to identify effective practice to address this issue”.

The Bill is proposing a licensing exemption for events with a maximum capacity of 200, a pre-determined curfew of 11pm and, for amplified music a stipulation that the venue is defined as a workplace in line with Health, Safety and Welfare regulations.

For unamplified music, a license won’t be required provided that no other licensable activities are taking place (unless the licensable activity is for provision of late night food) and that the entertainment takes place between 8am-11pm.

In addition to the Live Music Bill, the Government also announced earlier this year that it would open a consultation for removing the need for licensing in venues up to 5000-capacity. To find out more about the current state of live licensing in the UK, check out our advice section.