Churches now exempt from PELs

Subject: RE: Churches now exempt from PELs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Feb 03 - 04:29 PM

Isn't it that religious services in any place don't need a licence, even where they have music, but that places of worship will need a licence for things that aren't religious services which involve music and so forth? But they won't have to pay for it. (Just for the adaptations that are required...)

And I was puzzled by that business about village halls hosting events. I took it that it was about where the event isn't being put on by the village hall committee as such, but they have lent or hired it to some other organisation. But you could well be right - they are as incapable of saying what they mean as they are of meaning what they say.

Subject: RE: Churches now exempt from PELs
From: The Shambles
Date: 08 Feb 03 - 05:16 PM

DCMS 03/02/03

Following further consideration and consultation with faith
groups, the Government has tabled an amendment to the
Licensing Bill that would exempt secular entertainment provided
in places of public religious worship and the provision of
entertainment facilities in such places from the need to obtain a
licence under the Bill when it is enacted.

Music for the purposes of or incidental to a religious service or meeting is already exempt.

Subject: RE: Churches now exempt from PELs
From: vindelis
Date: 09 Feb 03 - 10:56 AM

What would be the situation for Church Halls? they are not, by definition, places of worship, therefore one would assume that they would require a licence.

Subject: RE: Churches now exempt from PELs
From: The Shambles
Date: 09 Feb 03 - 11:01 AM

Just what has this Government got against acoustic folk music?

Howells in The Stage.

I realise that some people believe a licence should not be required for unamplified music as existing legislation provides sufficient safeguards. However, I do not accept that certain types of music, such as acoustic folk music, are never noisy and should therefore be excluded from the new regime.

If a concert of this "acoustic folk music" is not to be excluded from the new licensing regime, how is is this to be possible, If this concert should be held in a place of public religious worship?

Where the Government now consider there to be no "issues of nuisance, public safety and crime and disorder" and which exempts "secular entertainment provided in places of public religious worship and the provision of entertainment facilities in such places from the need to obtain a licence under the Bill when it is enacted.

Subject: RE: Churches now exempt from PELs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Feb 03 - 11:50 AM

Those words seem unambiguous enough, Shambles, but I don't trust press releases about this, I'd need to see the actual words of the amendment.