Licensing
Do I need a licence to have live music at my function?
No licence is required if you book an act to provide music at a private home. Public entertainment is now covered by the Licensing Act 2003 and the guidance from The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is very clear: “Any performances of live music that take place in private homes and gardens for private parties and weddings will not be licensable unless the host takes the unusual step of charging his guests to attend and with a view to making a profit.” If your function is being held at a hotel, restaurant or similar sort of venue, the venue themselves should already hold an appropriate licence which covers both the supply of alcohol and what sort of entertainment is allowed. If you want to hold an event at some other venue which is neither a private home nor licensed premises, you can apply for a Temporary Event Notice from your local authority. Check with your local authority or at The Department for Culture, Media and Sport for more guidance.
Similarly PRS for music (formerly the Performing Rights Society) who collect royalties on behalf of composers and publishers does not require a licence for a private event. PRS for music states: “PRS for Music does not make a charge for functions of a purely domestic or family nature, such as wedding receptions, christening parties or domestic birthday parties, when: attendance of guests is by personal invitation only (except for staff, performers, etc.); the function is held in a privately-booked room, not at that time open to the general public; there is no form of charge made for admission; there is no financial gain to the function’s organiser or host (e.g. the person hiring the venue).” See PRS for music.