How 'Licensing' impacts on day to day lives
It's National Licensing Week and as such we're highlighting the areas that licensing may have on your everyday lives. Do you realise how much licensing regulations you may encounter day to day.
Almost every activity in the leisure sector - and most of those that supports the sector - requires a licence or some other licensing authorisation.
The most obvious of these that most people would probably know about are licences required to sell alcohol, licences required to transport people in a taxi or private hire vehicle or licences required to gamble.
What people may not realise is the extent of their contact with licensing regulation in their everyday lives, including:
· Taking part in a local raffle, playing bingo or betting on the tracks
· Getting a tattoo or a body piercing or acupuncture therapy treatment
· Buying a puppy (from a licensed breeder) or looking for someone to look after their pet when they are away on holiday
· Visiting their local market or car boot sale
· Giving money to a high street charity collector or a house to house collector
· Sending their children to school in a taxi or a pre-booked private hire vehicle
· A family day out at the zoo, a film at the cinema or a show at the Theatre
· Living in a House in multiple occupation (HMO)
· Playing live or recorded music in public
Most people will not think twice about the impact of licensing regulation every day of their lives, but it plays a vital role to protect people and animals - which is something most people do not recognise until things go wrong.
