Published: 13 March 2014
Q: We are planning a 1920s murder mystery at our pub where customers will dress up and play roles. We do not have authorisation for ‘Plays’ on our licence. Will I need to make a variation application?
A: You will need no permission under the Licensing Act if your murder mystery ends at 11:00pm, as ‘Plays’ are not licensable at all until this time up to audiences of 500. In any event, I do not consider that a murder mystery is a play anyway, unless there is a separate audience being entertained by the customers taking part (which I imagine is unlikely). In other words, if the only participants in the murder mystery are the customers then it is not a play at all and can take place at any time without requiring a variation to your premises licence.
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