Info. on folk music in private clubs

Subject: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: GUEST,Andy
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 11:26 AM

I've seen a lot on the site over the past 12 months or so regarding the legislation on performers in pubs/music licenses etc and not really got to grips with the nitty-gritty of it. Seeing that I run a long standing folk club this is a bit remiss of me I know, but there we go! However, the club I run is held in a local cricket club, which is otherwise unused except for match days in summer and the occasional private function. It's a PRIVATE MEMBER'S CLUB (with bar)and all us regular folkies have been required to join it to comply with the law on such places,cos it's not officially a PUBLIC facility. Can any of you helpful and genned up folk out there give me a short(ish) answer as to whether this place will still come under the same legislation as the normal public house with regard to music and performances etc, or be exempt because of our private member status.


Regards    Andy

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: IanC
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 11:44 AM

Andy

Can you provide 3 items of further information?

(1) Do you make a charge?
(2) Do you advertise at all?
(3) How do you recruit new members?

Thanks

:-)

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: breezy
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 12:20 PM

May I ask why Ian c you pose these questions?

what bearing do they have if the answer be yes to one or more.

pray elucidate further what thou thingst thou knowest

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: Rasener
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 12:23 PM

Yessum, i woudeth also loik to know

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: IanC
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 12:34 PM

Well, they have a bearing on whether it's a totally private sing-song or a members club.

:-)

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: IanC
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 12:44 PM

To elucidate further. Under the new licensing regime, members clubs will no longer be exempt. However, the new licenses cover ENTERTAINMENT.

If there is nobody to be entertained, i.e. it's a closed circle of friends who are having a singaround together, then there would be a fairly strong argument that no entertainment was possible. Ergo, no license required.

However, if there were some degree of openness in the system which suggested there were an audience - i.e. you could join the club not already knowing the people there, the club was advertised or a charge was levied (not just a whipround to cover costs) then the implication is that there is an audience and, by logical extension, that ENTERTAINMENT is going on in some way, shape or form.

:-)

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 12:52 PM

Odds on

(a) When the new system is fully in force you will need a licence
(b) you don't need PRS

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: GUEST,Andy
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 03:03 PM

Thanks to all who have replied so far. In answer to Ian C's first questions

1)We have an 'ashtray' whipround on singers nights, and a door admission fee on guest nights

2)The folk club (NOT cricket club) advertises locally via fliers to other clubs and occasional local paper ads. when we have a paid guest.This is once every six weeks or so.

3)We don't really recruit new members, but any newcomer who starts to turn up fairly regularly will be made aware that they should be a member of the cricket club because it's private and we have to comply with the law. Also the members/regulars gain an advantage on guest nights cos they gain entrance for smaller fee, than say those who may appear just once to see a particular 'star' guest and never return.It would appear Ian, from the further information you posted, that we may, therefore, be regarded as a place of entertainment, private or not!Thanks for the help.

Andy

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: GUEST,alan J.
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 03:25 PM

Have a look at your local government website, most seem to now have information on how they will treat events when the new licencing system starts this autumn. For instance
http://www.exeter.gov.uk/docs/licensing/ecc_guidance/gfs_registered_clubs.docsystem
makes it clear that you wouldn't be allowed to have the general public just turning up to a folk evening, they would have to be already members of the cricket club at least two days before the event.
for normal pubs, the new system has the clear advantage that no extra entertainments licence is needed for folk music and the two in a bar is ended. ( still PRS though ).

alan J.

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 07:45 PM

I must be living under a rock, but this stuff is all new to me. I can't believe the government can pull this off. It's a travesty----and I'm just speechless.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: IanC
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 04:15 AM

Andy

You'll need to be licensed if you have "Guest Nights". Entertainment, you see.

:-)

Subject: RE: Info. on folk music in private clubs
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 07:23 AM

The government has indeed pulled it off. It sneaked it through as part of a bill to 'relax restrictions' by letting pubs open at any time. Not that many of them want to, I think.