In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, a sex establishment licence is a form of

licence A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...

required for carrying on some types of sex-related businesses. Sex establishment licences are granted by

local authorities Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...

, under the powers granted by the

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (c. 30) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kin ...

. There are three classes of sex establishments:

sex shop A sex shop is a retailer that sells products related to adult sexual or erotic entertainment, such as sex toys, lingerie, pornography, and other related products. An early precursor of the modern sex shop was a chain of stores set up in Par ...

s, sex cinemas, and sexual entertainment venues.

Sexual entertainment venues

Sexual entertainment venues (SEVs) are defined in the

Policing and Crime Act 2009 The Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c. 26) is an Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom, act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act makes provision about police reform, prostitution, sex offenders, sex establishments and certain other p ...

, and are regulated by

under the

. This classification was originally intended to regulate lap-dancing clubs, but also extends to venues where other kinds of sex-related entertainment takes place, including live sex shows and

peep show A peep show, peepshow, or, a peep booth is a presentation of a live sex show or pornographic film which is viewed through a viewing slot. Several historical media provided voyeuristic entertainment through hidden erotic imagery. Before the devel ...

s. Swingers' clubs and other venues where naked people or people having sex may be visible to other attendees are not commonly regulated as SEVs. This is due to the nature of the act that is intended for lap-dancing clubs. As Swingers clubs do not pay attendees to provide the entertainment, many clubs have argued that they do not provide the entertainment for an audience and are therefore exempt. Local authorities have the power to cap the number of SEVs in their area and can set the cap at zero (a nil cap). United Sex Workers (now the Sex Workers Union) successfully challenged nil caps in Edinburgh and Bristol.

References

Licenses Sex laws Sex industry Law of the United Kingdom {{UK-law-stub

Sexual entertainment venues

See also

References