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Does a restaurant / bar need an entertainments license for a close up strolling / table hopping magician?
...or are they just coming up with excuses?

Would my own insurance be able to cover them instead?

Cheers.
Ed.

Sounds to me like they're coming up with excuses. Never heard that before.

Sounds like they are coming up with a really bad excuse. Unless they think you are doing dangerous effects (which I highly doubt).

Here in the States they don't need any such license for a strolling/table hopping magi. Of course if you are literally table hopping they may worry about you injuring yourself a guest or an employee, because some of the tables are wider then they appear to be and easy to misjudge.

Just an excuse, if a restaurant starts saying that, just leave, because if you do work for them, they will treat you as second rate staff

I believe that in certain places, you require a licence for 'live entertainment', 'live music' etc. Do check with your local council to see if you perform walkaround magic at the bar, what licence would they require, as they might already have that licence.

The entertainment laws were tightened up considerably a few years ago throughout the UK. Even having waiters sing "Happy Birthday" counts as live music and requires a licence. Most places that used to offer occasional entertainment have found it not worth the bother and expense now.

I hope this is one of the bad laws that's on the new government's repeal list.

This is actually an interesting point - Equity ran an article in their magazine a few issues ago concerning the problems of the new licensing rules - eg in an attempt to ban outdoor raves under the 2003 rule change they effectively now require maypole dancing in a field to need a license - under the old rules venues only required licensing for 'singing and dancing' and most places we worked had that (from pubs and clubs on up to hotels were licensed) but it appears to me that nobody seems to know where exactly we stand on this - if there is anybody with the relevant legal knowledge I for one would be fascinated to have an exact definition of the new licensing rules - Lancashire CC for example have no information at all available on their website for an Entertainment License despite listing it as a requirement for venues to have.

As far as I can see councils are technically required to provide licenses for:

the provision of regulated entertainment to the public or members of a club or for profit. Regulated entertainment includes:

* film exhibitions
* performances of a play
* indoor sports events
* boxing or wrestling performances
* live music performances
* the playing of recorded music
* dance performances
* provision of facilities for making music
* provision of facilities for dancing

(courtesy Durham council's website)

So I still have no idea whether we count - it seems to be down to a definition of 'regulated entertainment'. All depends on the restaurant you work, I guess - in a hotel we'd be fine, anywhere that has live music, (recorded music is covered by the PPL, the same as shops and workplaces so I don't think that would do) but if they don't have a 'regulated entertainment license' then I really don't know - and since councils are likely to be looking to collect any money from anywhere they can as their budgets are cut it could become an expanding problem.

Birmingham City Council use very similar wording:

The provision of regulated entertainment.
"Regulated entertainment" is defined as any of the following which take place in the presence of an audience for the entertainment of that audience and are provided for members of the public or a section of the public or exclusively for the members of a qualifying club and/or their guests or for consideration and with a view to profit:

a) A performance of a play.
b) An exhibition of a film.
c) An indoor sporting event.
d) Boxing or wrestling
e) Provision of facilities for making music or for dancing.
f) A performance of dance.
g) A performance of live music.
h) Playing of recorded music.

(There are certain exemptions from this definition which are set out in the Act;)

Mandrake wrote:Birmingham City Council use very similar wording:

(There are certain exemptions from this definition which are set out in the Act;)

Morris dancing is usually one of the exceptions, which is apparently one of our key rights. The right to dress badly and prance. Or they just figured no one would want to do it so might as well be legal.

The right to dress badly and prance is exempt, eh?
Then there's no problem - we'll be fine......

just an idea, but perhaps its because morris dancing has its roots in religious practices, hense its still counted as a human right???

So wrestling gets a mention but magic doesn't

makes you wonder...

Shaun McCree wrote:The right to dress badly and prance is exempt

That's deliberate and excuses all the awful Dad dancing which goes on at parties, weddings, BBQs and other essential events..... so they tell me

I think they don't need license anymore because they are hired by the restaurant owner. No manager would allow a table hopping magicians if they are not part of the restaurants entertainment program. So, if you encounter one just play along but don't let yourself get hurt.

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