Local Government Act 1972

145 Provision of entertainments. E+W

(1) A local authority may do, or arrange for the doing of, or contribute towards the expenses of the doing of, anything (whether inside or outside their area) necessary or expedient for any of the following purposes, that is to say—

(a) the provision of an entertainment of any nature or of facilities for dancing;

(b) the provision of a theatre, concert hall, dance hall or other premises suitable for the giving of entertainments or the holding of dances;

(c) the maintenance of a band or orchestra;

(d) the development and improvement of the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts and the crafts which serve the arts;

(e) any purpose incidental to the matters aforesaid, including the provision of refreshments or programmes and the advertising of any entertainment given or dance or exhibition of arts or crafts held by them.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of subsection (1) above, a local authority—

(a) may for the purposes therein specified enclose or set apart any part of a park or pleasure ground belonging to the authority or under their control;

(b) may permit any theatre, concert hall, dance hall or other premises provided by them for the purposes of subsection (1) above and any part of a park or pleasure ground enclosed or set apart as aforesaid to be used by any other person, on such terms as to payment or otherwise as the authority think fit, and may authorise that other person to make charges for admission thereto;

(c) may themselves make charges for admission to any entertainment given or dance or exhibition of arts or crafts held by them and for any refreshment or programmes supplied thereat.

(3) Subsection (2) above shall not authorise any authority to contravene any covenant or condition subject to which a gift or lease of a public park or pleasure ground has been accepted or made without the consent of the donor, grantor, lessor or other person entitled in law to the benefit of the covenant or condition.

(4) Nothing in this section shall affect the provisions of any enactment by virtue of which a licence is required for the public performance of a stage play or the public exhibition of cinematograph films, or for boxing or wrestling entertainments or for public music or dancing, or for the sale of [F1 alcohol] .

(5) In this section, the expression “local authority” includes the Common Council.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 145(4) substituted (24.11.2005) by Licensing Act 2003 (c. 17), ss. 198, 201(2), Sch. 6 para. 59 (with ss. 2(3), 15(2), 195); S.I. 2005/3056, art. 2(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 145 amended and certain functions transferred by S.I. 1989/304, art. 5(3)(h)(4)

C2 S. 145: functions made exercisable concurrently (23.12.2016) by The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1267), arts. 1(2), 13

C3 S. 145: functions made exercisable concurrently (8.5.2017) by The West Midlands Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/510), arts. 1(2), 19

C4 S. 145: functions made exercisable concurrently (2.11.2018) by The Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/1133), arts. 1, 19 (with art. 28)

C5 S. 145 modified (20.12.2023) by The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/1432), arts. 1(2), 26(1)(d)

C6 S. 145 applied (28.2.2024) by The East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/232), regs. 1(2), 33

C7 S. 145(1) applied (16.7.1998) by 1998 c. ii, s. 5(1)(a)