Outdoor Music Licence ?

[DebsyDoo]

At our local pub, we have been playing music outside (through a Bluetooth speaker, using spotify on my phone.
Tha landlady doesn't like it & says she has no licence for outdoor entertainment,
Everyone is enjoying this & we play all types of music, so everyone can have what they like. It's not too loud & no-one has complained. It has even actually brought people in who were just walking past & certainly been the reason why some have stayed later than they were intending !
We don't understand what her problem is, but is she correct about this "outdoor' licence ?

[black_cat51]

yes

[buildersmate]

Activities licensable by the local authority include selling alcohol and providing entertainment. Entertainment includes showing a film, music or dancing. There are others. The landlord will have a licence for her premises and she will know what it covers, it can vary according to what she was granted. So she's likely to be right.
In any event, it's her pub so she can decide what occurs on her premises.

[Sycamore3House]

There is also implications of the the PRS (Performing Rights Society) & also the PPL license ( Phonograph Performance Ltd). Both of these are payable for music inside premises where the general public visit. The licences are expensive & the landlady will know this. If she does not have a licence for the garden which she probably hasn't that will be why she is concerned. The cost of the licence is calculated on square metre age so for a garden that is only used for a few months each year would be throwing pound notes up in the wind. The PPL people are really hot on catching people out especially licences premises.

[woofgang]

Her problem is that she will be responsible for any fines or legal action! If I were the landlady (and I have been) I would be banning you for not doing as you are asked on my premises.

[DebsyDoo]

I appreciate the answers, but - she is not playing the music, I am. I can't help it if people who are in my group of friends want to come & sit with me & enjoying too - surely that's not breaking the law ???

[Frank97]

By not stopping it, she's allowing it to be played on her premises.

[Daffy6543]

You are on her premises, her premises her rules. Try doing as you are told or going to your own home and playing your music, try not to p*ss off your neighbours though eh!

[DebsyDoo]

No body is being "*** off" by it - that's the whole point ! Everyone is enjoying it & they are getting more money going in the till because of it !

[woofgang]

Whoever is playing the music, on her premises she is responsible and she is the one who will be fined. If she has told you to stop then stop. NOW do you understand what her problem is? ITS YOU!

[Sycamore3House]

The landlady is asking you to stop for a reason. It is her livelihood. If she is a Freehouse & gets fined she probably will not be able to pay & could lose her premises, her job & her home. If she is a Manager she will be contravening her employers & if caught she will lose her job & possibly her home. Land lady's & Landlords are not stupid people they know the law because they have to. Do as you are told on their premises.

[EcclesCake]

You say no one has complained? But someone has, the most important person, the Licensee!

[cassa333]

DebsyDoo,


Why don't you find out how much the extra liceince will be, how much extra any insurances will be, how much any extra PRS payments she may have to make and seek planning permission from the local council for outside entertainment. Then pay for it so that you can play your music.

Are you in the pub all of the opening times playing music? If not then all the above effort will probably not be cost effective anyway!!

Alternatively stop playing it and she can guage what impact that has on her saleshe will then be a ble to decide if she needs music at all.

[EDDIE51]

Any music played on licenced premises HAS to have a licence, it does not
matter who plays it a licence is needed . It will be the landlady who gets the fine as it is her premises. Plus she can loose her drinks licence.

[EDDIE51]

Any where on the premises including out doors is part of the premises for this licence

[Svejk]

doesn't the pub have a juke-box ?

[buildersmate]

Having a jukebox (or not) doesn't change the price of fish. Or maybe you were merely curious.

[themas]

It seems to me to be a bit unreasonable (to put it mildly) for you to have even started to do this without getting the landlady's permission. Now you know she opposes it you must stop. If you don't, as others have said she could well be subject to heavy costs which she would be fully entitled to claim from you. You could then be faced with a substantial Court claim and - quite likely - a bad credit record.

[Svejk]

///Having a jukebox (or not) doesn't change the price of fish. Or maybe you were merely curious///
imo it does. playing your own music instead of putting your pounds in the juke-box could well come into the equation.
you wouldn't take your own drink into a pub, or would you?

[sinderella]

try to think of it as its not your music to play to other people
a licence is needed.