Everything venues need to keep in mind for Oasis fever
How to 'roll with' your licence conditions this summer
The Britpop band’s first tour since 2009 is set to transform town centres into a sea of bucket hats and 1996 nostalgia – but what licence(s) do venues need to host events? Felix Faulkner, associate solicitor at licensing firm Poppleston Allen, gives his tips on the champagne supernova summer
On July 4, Cardiff will launch the reunion of Oasis, one of the most famed – and infamous – indie pop bands to ever grace a stage.
In addition to the 19 gigs spanning from early July to mid-August, plenty of local authorities, event spaces, pubs and clubs will be planning their own special events to mark the occasion.
From quizzes to pop-up festivals and cover bands, the UK is primed for Oasismania.
The concerts are a great way for pubs and venues to attract a huge increase in footfall, but while Wonderwall fans are bound to get carried away, there are plenty of considerations for event planners to keep in mind.
- Live music – If you are looking to host an Oasis tribute act to celebrate the band’s reunion, you will need to ensure your premises licence has the permission to host live music. Generally speaking, live music is deregulated in licensed premises until 11pm for up to 500 people, however it is crucial to check with an expert that you qualify before you book the next Liam.
- Recorded music - A copycat Gallagher may not be what your punters want, but a full rerun of The Masterplan might be the perfect backdrop to your weekend. Again, it is crucial you check your premises licence permits you to play recorded music. Background music is not licensable in licensed venues.
- Late-hours licensing – If you want to stay open later to catch the post-gig crowd looking for a nightcap, you should double check your premises licence to ensure you have the hours permitted to stay open late. If not, you could apply for a Temporary Event Notice – however these have time constraints as to when you need to apply, so with the gigs on the horizon, it’s best to get your notice in ASAP.
- Noise complaints – Along with larger crowds of giddy fans and later hours comes the inevitable risk of noise complaints. Polite notices to neighbours, particularly residents, go a long way to avoiding these. Ensuring customers comply with all your conditions, specifically outdoor drinking/smoking conditions, and hiring extra security and staff for the event will also help ensure gig goers and neighbours can live happily and that no one is looking back in anger.
- Crowd control – Crowds are set to be bigger than usual, with 1.4M tickets already released and, according to the BBC, more on the way. There will definitely (maybe) be a party atmosphere and more people in the streets and in your venues. In addition to being more mindful of residents and neighbours, it might be helpful to supply free water on the bar and make sure food stores are stocked well.
Finally, it’s important to remember that not everyone at your venue will be an Oasis fan, and some may just be out for a quiet drink – so make sure they are also able to roll with it and don’t let your licensing conditions ‘slide away’.
Whether you like or loathe the Gallagher Bros, this summer’s gigs will be historic for the UK, and should bring some much-needed revenue to hospitality and events businesses around the country.