Early planning and licensing strategy
Festivals often need a premises licence to sell alcohol and provide live or recorded music, particularly where capacity exceeds 500 or activities run after 11pm. Woods Whur works with organisers at an early stage to scope the event, identify all licensable activities, and decide whether a premises licence, Temporary Event Notices, or a combination of both offers the best route.
Preparing robust licence applications
A successful application depends on accurate layout plans, clear operating schedules, and carefully considered conditions addressing the four licensing objectives. Woods Whur drafts and reviews applications, event management plans and bar operating procedures, ensuring that proposals meet statutory guidance while remaining commercially workable for multiple bars and stages.
Liaison with authorities and Safety Advisory Groups
Festival licensing typically involves engagement with the licensing authority, police, environmental health, and other responsible bodies, often through a Safety Advisory Group (SAG). Woods Whur supports organisers in consultations, responds to concerns about noise, crowd management, and crime and disorder, and negotiates proportionate conditions to keep the event viable.
Live entertainment and music permissions
Providing amplified live or recorded music for larger audiences will usually amount to regulated entertainment requiring authorisation, subject to limited exemptions. Woods Whur advises on how live performances, DJ sets, and late-night programmes fit within the licensing framework and, where relevant, signposts the need for separate music rights licences such as The Music Licence from PPL PRS.
Ongoing compliance and event resilience
Once a licence is granted, organisers must operate strictly within its terms and be prepared for reviews if issues arise. Woods Whur helps festivals put in place incident, age-verification, and noise management procedures, provides staff training, and stands ready to represent organisers in any variation, review, or enforcement proceedings linked to the event.
