Sex Establishment Licences
Sex Establishments are required to be licensed under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.
Terms
A sex establishment can either be a Sex Shop or a Sex Cinema.
A sex shop is a premises used for business which consists to a significant degree of selling, hiring, exchanging, lending, displaying or demonstrating sex articles.
A sex shop is a premises used for business which consists to a significant degree of selling, hiring, exchanging, lending, displaying or demonstrating sex articles.
A sex cinema is any premises used to a significant degree for showing of films which are concerned primarily with, or relate to, or are intended to stimulate or encourage sexual activity.
To run either, you may need a licence from us.
Any sex establishment licence granted under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 will generally remain in force for one year or for such shorter period as the licensing authority thinks fit.
If you require further information on this legislation, please seek your own legal advice.
Costs
A fee of £5,200 is payable on application.
Eligibility Criteria
An applicant:
- must be at least 18 years old
- must not be disqualified from holding a licence
- must have been resident in the UK at least six months immediately before the application or, if a body corporate, must be incorporated in the UK
- must not have been refused the grant or renewal of a licence for the premises in question within the last 12 months unless the refusal has been reversed on appeal.
Regulation Summary
Application Evaluation Process
Applications must contain the applicant's name, address and, where the applicant is an individual, their age, plus the address of the premises.
You are required to submit a copy of your application to South Yorkshire Police Licensing, Snig Hill, Sheffield, S3 8LY within 7 days of sending your application to us.
You must advertise your application in the local press within 7 days of submitting your application to us and display a notice outside the premises for 21 days beginning with the date of the application to give passers by the opportunity to make comments on your application.
Any person objecting to an application for the grant, renewal or transfer of a licence may give written notice of their objection to the relevant authority, stating the grounds of the objection, within 28 days of the date of the application.
If a valid objection is received, a Licensing Board Hearing will be held to determine the application.
How we will Notify You
Your application will not be automatically granted as it is in the public interest that your application is processed before it can be granted to ensure public safety.
If you have not heard from us after the 21 day period for comments on your application has ended, please contact us.
Making an Application
You can contact us for an application pack, or you may print an application form, guidance notes and regulations from the downloadable documents at the bottom of the page and send them to us through the post or bring them to our reception at the Town Hall.
Payment can be made by cheque (made payable to Sheffield City Council) through the post and cash and cheques are accepted if you bring it to our reception.
For details of our postal address, how to find our reception and reception opening times please contact us.
Appeals
Any applicant who is refused a licence, or refused the renewal of a licence, may, within 21 days of being notified of the refusal, appeal to the local magistrates' court.
However, the right to appeal does not apply where the licence was refused on the grounds that:
- the number of sex establishments in the area exceeds the number which the authority consider is appropriate
- the grant of the licence would be inappropriate considering the character of the area, the nature of other premises in the area, or the premises themselves
A licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition can appeal to a local magistrates' court.
Licence holders may at any time apply to the authority for a variation of the terms, conditions or restrictions in their licence.
If an application for a variation is refused, or if the licence is revoked, the licence holder may, within 21 days of being notified of the imposition of, or the refusal to vary, the term, condition or restriction in question, or of the revocation, appeal to the local magistrates' court.
A licence holder may also appeal to the crown court against a decision of a magistrates' court.
Complaints and Feedback
We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.
Downloads
Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982
Schedule III – Regulations for Sex Shops.
(37.5 KB)
Application form to apply for a Sex Establishment Licence. (69.5 KB)