Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment (2009)

Now revised and reissued in lay-flat A4 format, Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment details the necessary physical standards required for entertainment venues. Local licensing authorities impose technical requirements to ensure the safety of the public, staff and performers in places of entertainment such as theatres, cinemas, discotheques, night-clubs and concert halls, and an overhaul of these requirements has been long overdue.

Technical regulations have in the past led to a number of problems, including regulations that were too specific, varied expertise and resources available to individual licensing authorities, local variations, regulations that were often too narrowly concerned with the safety of the public and ignored risks to staff, and regulations that were based upon a mandatory approach that frequently ignored the concept of assessment of risk.

The District Surveyors Association (DSA) and the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) recognised these problems and five years ago set up a Working Party to seek a resolution. Technical Standards is the result. The book was produced in partnership involving both the industry and local authorities and was widely circulated in draft for pre-publication comment. All comments received were carefully considered and appropriate revisions to the draft were made.

This edition is the first major review since April 2001 and covers all areas.