Anyone know about entertainment licences? Do we need them?

[Bucketsofdynomite]

Our pre-school recently had to cancel plans for a fundraising pub quiz in the infant school hall as the costs were going to be prohibitive. On top of the hall rent, apparently we would have had to acquire an entertainment licence.
I wasn't involved in it but as a registered charity it seems daft that we would have to do that.

isn't it the responsibility of the owners to acquire such things? if the school don't want to have it then find a venue that already has one - local church hall?

I just looked it up...
Music, theatre, dancing or cinema : you need a license to charge and admit the public for any those. One off event or annual license available.

Reading this: www.swale.gov.uk/media/adobepdf/pel%5Fstandard%5Fconditions%2Epdf

Blimey, does that mean that school discos are hit, too?? Apparently not if it's restricted to just the school's own attenders... but about younger siblings of children at the school, or the school fete each year, if they play any music?

This Herts page implies that school premises are exempt:
www.eastherts.gov.uk/Licensing/GuidanceNotes/Schools,Colleges,etc.htm

Since it's a license you get from the local authority I would phone the city or district council.

Oh, and get back here and tell me what you found out so I can tell my school PTA.

Charities need to have a license to run raffles, too, unless they only sell tickets on the day. Something else to know.

I am very surprised that there is a school hall without an entertainment licence.

It affects school plays and all sorts.