Licencing and Regulations
- Licensing places which provide public entertainment
- Licensing street traders to sell goods and services
- Issuing amusement permits to premises which provide suitable gaming machines
- Approving places as venues for civil marriages & civil partnerships
- Registering society lotteries
- Restricting closing hours for certain shops
- Enforcement of Council Alcohol Bye-laws
- Registering Businesses which carry out cosmetic piercing, acupuncture & semi permanent skin colouring, tattooing & electrolysis
Public Entertainments
Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 there are generally two main types of entertainment: Indoor and Outdoor.
Indoor Entertainment
This consists of:
- Music, singing and dancing
- Theatrical performances
- Circuses
- Boxing, wrestling, karate matches or exhibitions
- Snooker or pool matches or exhibitions
- Video machines, pool and snooker tables
Outdoor Entertainment
This is entertainment of a musical nature that takes place in the open air and on private land.
- Entertainment Licence Application Pack
Street Trading
By virtue of the Street Trading Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 anyone wishing to sell goods in the street requires a street trading licence. There are three main types of licence:
Marriage (Northern Ireland) Order 2003
The Council has responsibilities to approve places where civil marriage ceremonies can be held. Only venues which would not compromise the solemnity of the ceremony can be approved. All places seeking approval must apply to the Council. Approval will only be granted when all necessary requirements have been met.
- Marriage Premises Approval Form
Alcohol Bye-laws
The Council has adopted Bye-laws enabling it to prosecute anyone who is caught drinking alcohol in a public place. It is illegal to consume alcohol in a place which has been designated as alcohol free. Most streets in the Council area are designated as such.
The Council may prosecute anyone who has been reported to it by the Police as having been observed drinking in one of these designated streets. Anyone convicted of an offence may face substantial fines and court costs.
