Cinemas Act 1985

Control of exhibitions

Licence required for exhibitions

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• (1) Subject to sections 5 to 8 below, no premises shall be used for a film exhibition unless they are licensed for the purpose under this section.

• (2) A licensing authority may grant a licence under this section to such a person as they think fit to use any premises specified in the licence for the purpose of film exhibitions on such terms and conditions and subject to such restrictions as, subject to subsection (2A) and to regulations under section 4 below, they may determine.

• (2A) Where Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 5) applies in relation to the premises, no term, condition or restriction may be imposed under subsection (2) which relates to any matter in relation to which requirements or prohibitions are or could be imposed by virtue of that Part.

• (3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2) above, it shall be the duty of a licensing authority, in granting a licence under this section as respects any premises,—

• (a) to impose conditions or restrictions prohibiting the admission of children to film exhibitions involving the showing of works designated, by the authority or by such other body as may be specified in the licence, as works unsuitable for children; and

• (b) to consider what (if any) conditions or restrictions should be imposed as to the admission of children to other film exhibitions involving the showing of works designated, by the authority or by such other body as may be specified in the licence, as works of such other description as may be so specified.

Consent required for exhibitions for children

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• (1) Subject to sections 5 and 6 below, no premises shall be used, except with the consent of the licensing authority, for a film exhibition organised wholly or mainly as an exhibition for children.

• (2) Subject to subsection (2A) and to regulations under section 4 below, a licensing authority may, without prejudice to any conditions or restrictions imposed by them on the granting of a licence, impose special conditions or restrictions on the granting of a consent under this section.

• (2A) Where Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 5) applies in relation to the premises, no term, condition or restriction may be imposed under subsection (2) which relates to any matter in relation to which requirements or prohibitions are or could be imposed by virtue of that Part.

Grant, renewal and transfer of licence or consent

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• (1) An applicant for the grant, renewal or transfer of a licence shall give to—

• (a) the licensing authority,

• (b) the fire authority, and

• (c) the chief officer of police,

not less than 28 days’ notice of his intention to make the application.

• (1A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2) The licensing authority may in such cases as they think fit, after consulting with the fire authority and the chief officer of police, grant an application for the grant, renewal or transfer of a licence notwithstanding the fact that the applicant has failed to give notice in accordance with subsection (1) above.

• (3) In considering any application for the grant, renewal or transfer of a licence, the licensing authority shall have regard to any observations submitted to them by the fire authority or by the chief officer of police.

• (4) Unless revoked under section 12 below, a licence shall remain in force for one year or for such shorter period as the licensing authority on the grant of the licence may determine.

• (5) A licensing authority may transfer any licence granted by them to such other person as they think fit.

• (6) Where, before the date of expiry of a licence, an application has been made for its renewal or transfer, the licence shall be deemed to remain in force or, as the case may require, to have effect with any necessary modifications until the determination of the application by the licensing authority or the withdrawal of the application.

• (7) There shall be paid in respect of the grant, renewal or transfer of a licence such fees as may be fixed by the licensing authority, not exceeding—

• (a) in the case of a grant or renewal for one year, £600.00;

• (b) in the case of a grant or renewal for any less period, £200.00 for each month for which the licence is granted or renewed but so that the aggregate of the fees payable in any year does not exceed £600.00; or

• (c) in the case of a transfer, £120.00.

• (8) The Secretary of State may by order amend subsection (7) above so as to vary any sum specified in that subsection or so as to provide that any sum payable under that subsection shall cease to be so payable; and an order under this subsection may be limited to such cases as may be specified by the order and may make different provision for different cases specified in the order.

• (9) An order under subsection (8) above shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

• (10) In this Act, except where the contrary intention appears,—

• “chief officer of police”, in relation to any premises, means the chief officer of police for the police area in which the premises are situated;

• “fire authority”, in relation to any premises, means the authority discharging in the area in which the premises are situated the functions of fire authority under the Fire Services Act 1947;

• “licence” means a licence under section 1 above or a consent under section 2 above and references to a licence of either kind shall be construed accordingly;

• “licensing authority”, in relation to any premises, means the local authority in whose area the premises are situated.

Regulations by Secretary of State

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• (1) Subject to sections 5 and 6 below, no film exhibition shall be given unless regulations made by the Secretary of State under this section are complied with.

• (2) The matters for which provision may be made by regulations under this section are—

• (a) safety in connection with the giving of film exhibitions (including the keeping and handling, in premises where other entertainments are being given or meetings held, of cinematograph film used or to be used for the purpose of film exhibitions or other articles or equipment so used or to be used);

• (b) the health and welfare of children in relation to attendance at film exhibitions.

• (3) Regulations under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Exempted exhibitions

Exhibitions in private dwelling-houses

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• (1) This section applies to any film exhibition which—

• (a) is given in a private dwelling-house,

• (b) is one to which the public are not admitted, and

• (c) satisfies the condition mentioned in subsection (2) below.

• (2) The condition referred to in subsection (1) (c) above is that either—

• (a) the exhibition is not promoted for private gain, or

• (b) the sole or main purpose of the exhibition is to demonstrate any product, to advertise any goods or services or to provide information, education or instruction.

• (3) The following exemptions have effect in relation to any film exhibition to which this section applies, that is to say—

• (a) a licence shall not be required by reason only of the giving of the exhibition;

• (b) where the exhibition is given in premises in respect of which a licence is in force, no condition or restriction on or subject to which the licence was granted shall apply to the exhibition;

• (c) regulations under section 4 above shall not apply to the exhibition.

Other non-commercial exhibitions

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• (1) Subject to subsections (4) and (5) below, this section applies to any film exhibition (other than one to which section 5 above applies) which—

• (a) is one to which the public are not admitted or are admitted without payment, or

• (b) does not fall within paragraph (a) above but is given by an exempted organisation,

and (in either case) satisfies the condition mentioned in subsection (2) below.

• (2) The condition referred to in subsection (1) above is that either—

• (a) the exhibition is not promoted for private gain, or

• (b) the sole or main purpose of the exhibition is to demonstrate any product, to advertise any goods or services or to provide information, education or instruction.

• (3) The following exemptions have effect in relation to any film exhibition to which this section applies, that is to say—

• (a) a licence under section 1 above shall not be required by reason only of the giving of the exhibition unless the pictures are produced by means specified in regulations under section 4 above as means involving such risk that it is inexpedient that this paragraph should have effect;

• (b) where the exhibition is given in premises in respect of which a licence under section 1 above is in force, no condition or restriction on or subject to which the licence was granted shall apply to the exhibition except so far as it relates to the matters specified in section 4(2)(a) above;

• (c) a consent under section 2 above shall not be required by reason only of the giving of the exhibition;

• (d) where the exhibition is given in premises in respect of which a consent under section 2 above is in force, no condition or restriction on or subject to which the consent was granted shall apply to the exhibition;

• (e) regulations under section 4 above making such provision as is mentioned in subsection (2)(b) of that section shall not apply to the exhibition and regulations under that section making such provision as is mentioned in subsection (2)(a) of that section shall not apply to the exhibition unless it is given in premises in respect of which a licence under section 1 above is in force.

• (4) A film exhibition is excluded from being one to which this section applies if it is organised solely or mainly as an exhibition for children who are members of a club, society or association the principal object of which is attendance at film exhibitions, unless the exhibition is given in a private dwelling-house or as part of the activities of an educational or religious institution.

• (5) A film exhibition is excluded from being one to which this section applies by virtue of paragraph (b) of subsection (1) above if on more than three out of the last preceding seven days the premises in question were used for the giving of a film exhibition to which this section applied by virtue of that paragraph.

• (6) In this section “exempted organisation” means a society, institution, committee or other organisation with respect to which there is in force at the time of the exhibition in question a certificate given by the Secretary of State certifying that he is satisfied that the organisation is not conducted or established for profit; and there shall be paid to the Secretary of State in respect of the giving of such a certificate such reasonable fee as he may determine.

• (7) The Secretary of State shall not give such a certificate with respect to any organisation—

• (a) the activities of which appear to him to consist of or include the giving of film exhibitions promoted for private gain, or

• (b) the objects of which do not appear to him to consist of or include the giving of film exhibitions to which the public are admitted;

and the Secretary of State may revoke such a certificate at any time if it appears to him that, since the certificate was given, the activities of the organisation have consisted of or included the giving of film exhibitions promoted for private gain.

• (8) Any certificate given by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise under section 5(4) of the Cinematograph Act 1952 before the commencement of the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act 1982 shall have effect as if given by the Secretary of State.

Exhibitions in premises used occasionally

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• (1) Where the premises in which it is proposed to give a film exhibition are premises used occasionally and exceptionally only, and not on more than six days in any one calendar year, for the purposes of such an exhibition, it shall not be necessary to obtain a licence under section 1 above if—

• (a) the occupier of the premises has give to the licensing authority, to the fire authority appropriate fire authority and to the chief officer of police, not less than seven days’ notice in writing of his intention so to use the premises; and

• (b) he complies with any regulations under section 4 above and, subject to any such regulations, with any conditions imposed by the licensing authority and notified to him in writing.

• (2) For the purposes of subsection (1) above, the giving in any premises of an exhibition to which section 5 or 6 above applies shall be disregarded.

Exhibitions in movable buildings, etc.

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• (1) Where it is proposed to give a film exhibition in any building or structure of a movable character, it shall not be necessary to obtain a licence under section 1 above from the local authority in whose area the exhibition is to be given (“the appropriate authority”) if—

• (a) the owner of the building or structure has been granted a licence under section 1 above in respect of that building or structure by the local authority in whose area he ordinarily resides;

• (b) he has given to the appropriate authority, to the fire authority appropriate fire authority and to the chief officer of police not less than two days’ notice in writing of his intention to give the exhibition; and

• (c) he complies with any regulations under section 4 above and, subject to any such regulations, with any conditions imposed by the appropriate authority and notified to him in writing.

• (2) In subsection (1)(b) above—

• “appropriate fire authority”, in relation to the building or structure, means– where Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 5) applies to the building or structure, the enforcing authority as defined in section 61(9) of that Act,in any other case, the authority discharging in the area in which the exhibition is to be given the functions under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 5) of a relevant authority (as defined in section 6 of that Act);

• “chief officer of police” means the chief officer of police for the police area in which the exhibition is to be given;

• “fire authority” means the authority discharging in the area in which the exhibition is to be given the functions of fire authority under the Fire Services Act 1947.

Exhibitions on Sundays

Exhibitions on Sundays

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Enforcement

Offences

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• (1) If—

• (a) any premises in respect of which a licence under section 1 above is not in force are used for an exhibition which requires such a licence,

• (b) any premises in respect of which a consent under section 2 above is not in force are used for an exhibition which requires such a consent,

• (c) any premises in respect of which a licence of either kind is in force are used for an exhibition which requires a licence of that kind and are so used otherwise than in accordance with the terms, conditions or restrictions on or subject to which the licence is held,

• (d) any premises in respect of which a licence under section 1 above is in force are used for an exhibition to which section 6 above applies and are so used otherwise than in accordance with the conditions or restrictions on or subject to which the licence is held, so far as they relate to the matters specified in section 4(2)(a) above, or

• (e) any premises are used for an exhibition to which regulations under section 4 above apply and are so used in contravention of those regulations,

then, subject to subsection (3) below, each of the persons mentioned in subsection (2) below shall be guilty of an offence.

• (2) The persons referred to in subsection (1) above are—

• (a) any person concerned in the organisation or management of the exhibition,

• (b) where a licence of either kind is in force in respect of the premises and the exhibition requires a licence of that kind, the holder of the licence,

• (c) where a licence under section 1 above is in force in respect of the premises and the exhibition is one to which section 6 above applies, the holder of the licence under section 1, and

• (d) any other person who, knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that the premises would be used as mentioned in that subsection—

• (i) allowed the premises to be so used, or

• (ii) let the premises, or otherwise made them available, to any person by whom an offence in connection with that use of the premises has been committed.

• (3) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) above to prove that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence.

Penalties and forfeitures

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• (1) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) of section 10 above shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding—

• (a) in the case of an offence under paragraph (a) of that subsection, £20,000,

• (b) in any other case, level 5 on the standard scale.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3) below, the court by or before which a person is convicted of an offence under section 10(1)(a) above may order any thing produced to the court, and shown to the satisfaction of the court to relate to the offence, to be forfeited and dealt with in such manner as the court may order.

• (3) The court shall not order any thing to be forfeited under subsection (2) above, where a person claiming to be the owner of or otherwise interested in it applies to be heard by the court, unless an opportunity has been given to him to show cause why the order should not be made.