Wake-up call: Scrum down for the Rugby World Cup

With the world's premier rugby competition only months away, Piers Warne explains what businesses should do to prepare for the event

The problem

If the final day of the Six Nations did not pique national interest in international rugby, the Rugby World Cup this autumn is sure to. Licensed premises wanting to show the games will need to prepare ahead of time to maximise on this sporting event.

The law

The Licensing Act doesn't count live television broadcasts as a licensable activity and therefore does not require a specific licence to show the games. But there will be a large number of premises who do not normally show matches on TV and will therefore need to be aware of the legal consequences of choosing to do so.

Of course, unlike the recent football World Cup, matches will be played during most normal operating hours for premises with licences. This means that TENs (temporary events notices) will not be required to provide licensable activities during the matches. However, it is worth checking the match times to ensure that you are prepared for a potential influx of customers.

Expert advice

Some premises licences have conditions on them limiting or even preventing the broadcasting of sporting events. There are two ways around this: apply for a TEN to circumvent the condition, or seek to remove it altogether. With agreement from the police and EHO, it may even be possible to do this by minor variation.

More likely to be a concern is the number of people attending licensed premises to watch the matches. Ensure that fire risk assessments are up to date and that capacity figures are adhered to. Customer safety and security will be paramount for bigger games as the tournament progresses. If you are expecting significant crowds, consider carrying out a risk assessment and putting on additional staff. Door supervisors may also be appropriate.

There will be a lot of noise and general good humour generated during matches - certainly with good home nation results. It is worth letting your immediate neighbours know of any particularly busy match days so that they can be prepared for it as well. This will lessen the likelihood of complaints.

To-do checklist

Quite simply, taking the time prior to the Rugby World Cup to assess what you are putting on and the likely draw to customers will solve a majority of problems. Creating an risk assessment will help identify areas to concentrate on and the measures needed to ensure that watching the matches is fun for customers and profitable for you. Think about:

• Dates and times of matches and likely attendance
• Additional staffing and door staffing requirements
• Easy food offers if you are likely to be very busy
• Minimising the chances of breakages
• Fire risk assessment requirements, such as capacities.

Beware

The World Cup will be a celebration of rugby and a great opportunity for businesses that are prepared. Not taking the time to consider what can happen in advance and mitigating risk can lead to licence reviews, noise abatement notices or even prosecutions. As such, it's time well spent.

Contact Piers Warne is a licensing solicitor at TLT
Piers.Warne@TLTsolicitors.com