The Licensing Guys

New Developments in Drugs Testing at Music Festivals

The Licensing Guys have written several new Premises Licences for Music Festivals in time for this summer season, and only today another new client has placed the securing of a new Premises Licence with us.

The Licensing Guys love the summer in general and summer music festivals in particular.  Indeed we even help in providing on site training and testing of temporary staff selling alcohol at such events.

However, many local residents don’t agree and do their utmost to get a Premises Licence refused even before the event has even been planned.  This inevitably results in a hotly contested public hearing where the local residents articulate their speculations about many problems e.g. litter and parking.  However their favourites are Noise Pollution and Drug Misuse.

This was certainly the case in two recent Hearings where The Licensing Guys represented the applicant music festival organisers.  One was in Dorset and the other in Herefordshire.  Needless to say, The Licensing Guys secured the grant of both Licences but not without a big fight on both occasions.

Interestingly enough, the perennial Drugs Misuse issue has recently been tackled by Central Govt with an interesting new initiative this summer…

During music festivals this summer, confiscated and voluntarily surrendered drugs will undergo testing to identify toxic substances in circulation.  Licensed drug testing organizations, operating under strict conditions, will conduct on-site tests.  If extremely potent drugs are detected, public alerts will be issued to festival-goers.  Additionally, this initiative will contribute valuable data to the government’s early warning system for tracking emerging threats.

The message remains clear: there is no safe way to take illegal drugs.  However there are interesting and innovative ways of addressing the risks.  As responsible supporters of anything that keeps people safe in the Entertainment and Hospitality industries, The Licensing Guys welcome this development.

If you are organising a Summer Festival, or indeed any other large event that involves the sale of Alcohol or Regulated Entertainment, then please call us on 01432 700024.  Our advice is always free.