Hotel Owner October 2017 | Page 47

QUALITY IN TOURISM | WHEN AN INSPECTOR CALLS QUALITY IN TOURISM their own and plug their equipment into haven’t been tested, or fire safety now mandatory too, so you must be able information is missing from bedrooms. to inform any guest of all the ingredients Don’t forget the need for diagrammatic or and allergens within anything consumable multi-lingual instructions too. that you serve. As well as the kitchen Licence: The PRS ensure the artists brigade it is recommended that all staff of pre-recorded music receive their the premises and any extensions, new handling food or preparing food holds a royalties. A licence is required by building projects, change of use and basic food hygiene certificate. businesses that play music in whatever n Building and planning regulations: for location/size of signage. You may also n Licensing – there are a lot of licences that need to adhere to Conservation Orders your business must hold in relation to and Listed building status, dependent on your guest experience and subject to the your premises. Your local authority can facilities you provide, including: advise on any specifics. This is particularly • Sale & consumption of alcohol – your mains. • Performing Rights Society (PRS) format. PRS for Music collects and distributes money on behalf of songwriters, composers and publishers. • Phonographic Performance Licence (PPL) Licence: which relates to pertinent if you are upgrading facilities, premises licence: any business that recording and playing music in public, making changes, or adding new facilities sells alcohol from their premises including videos, music channels etc.); to the hotel, although building regulations will require an alcohol licence from PPL collects and distributes money compliance is likely to be automatically their local authority. It is rare that on behalf of record companies and included as part of the planning and businesses neglect to get their alcohol performers. construction process. licence; however it is common that • Movie Picture Licensing Company members of staff are unable to confirm Licence: is required if your business YOUR GUESTS & THEIR EXPERIENCE whether a licence is in place or whether shows any movie, including on TV in Your guests and their experience is the business is compliant. public areas. paramount, but there are also legislative • TV Licences; Your business address • DVD Concierge Licence: is required requirements you need to meet to keep needs to be covered by a licence if if guests can borrow/rent DVD/Blu- them safe and happy. These are: staff, customers or visitors watch or ray and watch in bedrooms. This n Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972: record live TV programmes on any includes games consoles and in-room entertainment channels. guest registration is required for any channel, or download or watch BBC guest over the age of 16, requiring you to programmes on iPlayer. This applies to n Hotel Proprietors Act 1956: regulates record the full name and nationality for any device provided by your business. refusal of “walk in guests” how rooms UK nationals, and passport number and A common pitfall with TV licensing is are allocated and reimbursement of full address for foreign nationals. This that if your business does not provide damage to guest property, in certain information must be kept for a period of the devices for whatever reason, you circumstances, even if the damage was twelve months. This Order is currently will still need a licence if guests bring not as a result of the hotel or its staff. This shoul