I want to apply for a Sex Entertainment Venue Licence

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 - Schedule 3 – as amended by Sec 27 Policing and Crime Act 2009

Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended, provides for the licensing of 'sex establishments'.  A sex establishment is defined as a sex shop, a sex cinema or a sexual entertainment venue. The council is able to consider what would be the appropriate number of sex establishments for any area within which an application is made and may consider 'nil' as the appropriate number.

A sex shop means any premises, vehicle, vessel or stall used for a business which consists to a significant degree of selling, hiring, exchanging, lending, displaying or demonstrating sex articles or acts of force or restraint associated with such activity.

A sex cinema is broadly defined as any premises, vehicle, stall or vessel used to a significant degree for the exhibition of moving pictures, however produced, which concern, portray, stimulate or encourage sexual activity and acts of restraint associated with such activity.

A sexual entertainment venue is defined as any premises at which 'relevant entertainment' is provided before a live audience, for the financial gain of the organiser or the entertainer.

The meaning of 'relevant entertainment' is any live performance or live display of nudity which is of such a nature that, ignoring financial gain, it must reasonably be assumed to be provided solely or principally for the purpose of sexually stimulating any member of an audience, whether by verbal or other means.  An audience can consist of just one person, eg. where the entertainment takes place in private booths.

The Act does allow for certain exemptions, potential applicants are advised to discuss their proposals with the licensing section prior to making an application.

Under normal circumstances, the Authority will complete the administration of any application and reach a decision within 20 working days of the complete application being received.  However the application is subject to a public notice which can result in representations and this may require a committee hearing to resolve.  In such circumstances the authority will notify the applicant of the hearing date and timescale for a decision.

Application forms and guidelines

• Application for Grant/Renewal of Licence to use premises as a Sex establishment  
• Sex establishment Public Notice 
• Application for transfer of a Sex establishment licence 
• Sex establishment policy 

Fees

View on our full list of fees.