AAA White Paper The political economy of informal events, 2030 | Page 89

89
2. STARTING OUT RIGHT: THE FOUR OBJECTIVES OF THE
2003 LICENSING ACT
It’s vital for event organisers to grasp the Objectives of the Act. As
discussed at length in the Home Office’s Revised Guidance to the 2003
Act, the Objectives are as follows:
1. Prevention of crime and disorder, where the police form the
main source of advice but the local Community Safety Partnership
(CSP) should also be involved. Apart from preventing illegal
working, this Objective means working with the Security Industry
Authority to ensure that door supervisors are properly licensed, and
that security firms are bona fide. It often means CCTV inside and
immediately outside the premises, to deter disorder, nuisance, anti-
social behaviour and crime generally, plus radio links and ring-round
phone systems so as to gain a rapid police response in an emergency.
2. Safety. This covers all performers, and deals with immediate
harms to audiences such as accidents, injuries, unconsciousness or
alcohol poisoning. The 2003 Act does not cover hygiene, but the Revised
Guidance does mention ‘appropriate and frequent waste disposal,
particularly of glass bottles’. Issues include:
1. Fire safety, not least in relation to the permitted capacity of the
premises as recommended by the relevant fire and rescue
authority
2. Access for the emergency services; presence of trained first aiders
and kit
3. Safety of people on departure – adequate outside lighting,
lights on paths to and from premises and in car parks; proper
information on late-night transport
4. Safety of equipment. Licensing authorities may make it a
condition that regular checks of equipment are made and
evidenced, or that equipment must maintain particular
standards to be maintained on the premises
5. New safe capacities issued by local authorities if no legal limit
has been imposed by other legislation, and if, for example,
overcrowding might lead to disorder.
3. Prevention of public nuisance. This is about avoiding noise and
light pollution, ‘noxious smells’, litter and any bad effects to health
from dust, insects or other factors; generally, it is about avoiding a
deterioration in the amenity value and environment for people living
and working in the area. The main issue under this objective is the
prevention of noise, both from music and from customers.
4. Protection of children from moral, psychological and physical
harm. Event organisers are expected to set out how they will prevent
sales of alcohol to children, as well as wider harms, such as exposure to
strong language, sexual expletives or sexual exploitation. Restricted,
too, are child access to certain films, or to adult entertainment (the
latter, the Home Office helpfully explains, ‘would broadly include
topless bar staff, striptease, lap-, table- or pole-dancing, performances
involving feigned violence or horrific incidents, feigned or actual
sexual acts or fetishism, or entertainment involving strong and