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Holding any kind of event can involve a great deal of planning and organisation. Ensuring that your guests have the best experience possible is essential, but so is ensuring that everybody is safe and that the event complies with the laws and regulations that are expected of you. These regulations can often be hidden, the things that you might not have considered when you are planning your event, but they are vitally important.
If you are organising an event in the UK and are looking for some pointers regarding the regulations that you need to keep, then look no further. Here are 10 regulation tips to keep you on track…
1. Get your Data Straight
Events can be a great opportunity for collecting data, allowing your guests to network, share experiences, and learn about new opportunities. You can use technology to help to collect and analyse the data from your guests, creating data pipelines in a secure and effective way. It is essential, however, that you comply with GDPR relating to the security of the data that you are holding and using. You must explain clearly what you are going to do with people’s data, and they must give you their consent to use it.
2. Alcohol Licencing
If you are hoping to sell or serve alcohol at your event you must have an alcohol licence if it is a public event. You do not need one, however, if you are just serving it at a private event. A licence can be obtained through the government website, but you should also check with the venue whether they already have one that is applicable for you to use.
3. Entertainment Licences
If you are planning on having entertainment such as live music or other performances at your event, you may need to get an entertainment licence. The need for an entertainment licence will normally depend on the type of entertainment that you are putting on, how, and for how many people. You can get more information about this on the UK Government’s website.
4. Public Liability Insurance
You almost certainly do not need to have public liability insurance as a matter of course for an event. However, there may be other people involved that require you to have it – venue owners, for example. Having public liability insurance can also be useful for your peace of mind, knowing that you are covered should something happen.
5. Gambling Commission
If you are planning on having a race night, raffle, tombola, bingo, or anything else that might come under the heading ‘gambling’, you might need to get a licence for this as well. There are rules around how much money you can take, whether it is for fundraising or not, and prizes that will determine this. The rules relating to gambling are available on the government website.
6. Food
If you are planning on serving food at your event and it is a ‘one off’ it is unlikely that you need to register as a food business with your local authority. It is important, however, that you prepare food in a safe manner. You do not need a food hygiene certificate or display allergy information (although this is a good habit to get into).
7. Health and Safety Policy
Any business that puts on events needs to have a health and safety policy – which must be written down if you have over five employees. The policy should give details about how health and safety are managed and each person’s responsibilities in this regard.
8. Plan for Risks
Part of your responsibility as an event organiser is to plan for any potential risks. These can include terrorist incidents, medical emergencies, and fires. If your event is relatively large you should share your plans with the relevant emergency services and ensure that all of your staff are aware of their individual responsibilities.
9. Using Contractors
If you are planning on using contractors during your event, you need to ensure that you are using the right people in the right way. The government’s HSE website outlines the best way to deal with contractors in this instance.
10. Noise
If you are an employer, you have a duty to ensure that your employees’ hearing is protected from extreme levels of volume. If the event is noisy, you must put measures in place to help to protect your employees’ hearing such as reducing the level of noise that is created, physically protecting their hearing, and offering training to help them to minimise their risk.
We hope this guide has helped ensure your guests have the best experience possible in a way that is safe for everyone involved. Planning an event can be stressful so it’s great to know what is going to be expected of you ahead of time. For more useful event tips you will find a range of guides on our blog.