Licensing - TSBN

Licensing

AUTUMN 2018 LICENSING Prepare (well) to party! Autumn and early winter are eventful times of year but get your paperwork in order to ensure your event goes with a swing Festive events are popular with businesses, presenting them with opportunities to sell products to customers they may not see at other times of the year, and drawing audiences to their premises that may not come otherwise. Whether you stage a large, one-o party or a series of smaller events, this can be a good way of ensuring a successful trading period. So, where do you start food, drink, star attractions? How about asking yourself whether its legal to hold the event in the first place? Media reports often suggest killjoy regulators stop anyone having fun; the truth is, by considering whether you can legally hold an event you start to think about all the other organisational strands needed for it to be successful and safe. A useful starting point is to contact the licensing teams at the local council, fire service or police in the area the event is being held. They cant run it for you, but they can oer insight into how other such occasions have run, any competing events happening at the same time and advice on the licensing objectives for example, crime prevention, child safety, public safety and public nuisance. So, where do you start food, drink, star attractions? How about asking yourself whether its legal to hold the event in the first place? If you are selling alcohol, providing hot food after 11pm or having regulated entertainment, you need a premises licence. If you do not have one, you may need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN). Applying for a licence or submitting a TEN allows regulators to see at least on paper what your business is and what controls you have in relation to the organised activities. If they have objections, they will talk to you about how to overcome their concerns. Licence applications, or TENs, should be made in plenty of time. If they are not, or if important information is missing from the form, the application may be rejected, leading to cancellation of the event which could be a PR and commercial disaster. If you proceed against the advice or requirements of the regulators, and there is an incident, you may be prosecuted and sued for noncompliance. Even worse, should anyone make a claim in such circumstances, your insurance providers may invalidate your policy because you did not have the required licence, consent or permission to hold the event. Many councils have Safety Advisory Groups, which require an application that walks the organiser through important issues when considering setting up an event. Some of these issues include ensuring: n Your licences, insurances, risk assessments and event plans are up to date n You have budgeted well for the event n Parking arrangements and the safety of pedestrians and road users have been considered n Evacuation plans have been drawn up in the event of an emergency n Noise nuisance is controlled n Food safety is up to scratch for example, do food handlers have adequate training, a 5 food hygiene rating or a street trading permit? n You have complied with transport, disease control and handling/welfare of any animals that are on site, such as reindeer. You may find the Health and Safety Executives guidance useful. Credits: David Elrington, regulatory services manager; Philip Kelly, Environmental Health ocer Images: iStock.com / AleksandarNakic / Dimitris66 Before, during and after the event, make sure you: n Know, and make it known, who is in charge and making the decisions if it is your event, dont let others pressure you into making bad judgements n Dont run before you can walk perhaps build the event up year by year, rather than trying to do everything all in one go n Take advice from qualified and experienced professionals, saving you time and money in the long run. The festive elf and safety check-up This time of year is packed with many wonderful celebrations: Bonfire NightNight and festive occasions: Bonfire Halloween, the run-up andand newNew yearYear festivities. Here are a few and Halloween, the runto upChristmas, to Christmas celebrations. Here areareas a few to prioritise and consider duringduring the autumn and winter seasons help sleigh areas to prioritise and consider the up-and-coming festivetoseason to helpany health andhealth safetyand gremlins. sleigh the safety horrors and gremlins. Event safety and crowd control Documentation Lighting Black and Christmas sales can attract numbers offootpaths, bargain hunters and, Safety policies and risk assessments often need alarge regular tune-up. Check significant CheckFriday lighting inthe walkways, stock rooms and work areas, around bin stores without proper crowd control measures, canaware poseserious serious risks toother othercustomers customers risks areparks. assessed and sta and managers measuresare can pose of theirrisks responsibilities. to and car and your sta. Review your risk assessments and consider the services of a competent security contractor, or review the Health and Safety Executives website if you are looking toclear hold aat bonfire or firework event. fire wind-blown work event. litter, Regularly fallen leaves, clear gutters, leaking roofs and Sta must workup a comfortable temperature; typically 16oC orfixabove. Gas heating decide a gritting policy.and Where this is not speak to and agree systemson must be checked maintained byyour a Gasresponsibility, Safe engineer. Where appropriate, actions with your landlord. fit a carbon monoxide detector. Review your proceduresand andtraining trainingthat for protecting who workemployees alone and the procedures you have inemployees place for protecting check your systems dealing review with violence aggression that lone work and for in general, systemsand in place that youagainst have forsta. dealing with violence and aggression against sta. n For more tips, read the Health and Safety Executives 12 Myths of Christmas. Outside slips and trips Temperature Lone working and work-related violence Click numbers for more 1 2 3 4 TRADING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND Extra seasonal stock, waste packaging and temporary sta can if not handled correctly cause problems. Click on our tips for a compliant and safe festive period. 1. Health and safety extra stock can create an increased risk of slips, trips or falls, or block fire exits. Have you carried out a risk assessment? 2. Increase in waste do you have contingency plans to ensure you comply with your duty of care when storing or disposing of waste? 3. Temporary sta must be properly trained in all legal requirements, such as: health and safety; emergency evacuation; age-restricted products; and returns policies 4. Learn about consumers legal rights 5. Licences and permits make sure you have the right ones 6. Fair terms make sure yours are 7. Special Christmas oers formulate pricing practices in accordance with honest market practice and the general principles of good faith 8. Adverts must not be false, misleading or omit any information that would enable the consumer to make an informed purchase 9. Flood or fire how to cope if the worst happens 10. Selling goods via the internet or the phone dierent rules apply and consumers have additional rights 11. Crime become a member of a local crime reduction initiative 12. Stress consider your own and your stas wellbeing Image: iStock.com / Signature For further information, please contact your local Trading Standards Service