Sexual Entertainment Venues, Sex Shops and Sex Cinemas
Leeds has licensed sex shops and sex cinemas since 1983 and sexual entertainment venues since 2011. Details of the licensing regime is detailed below.
Licence summary
In order to run a sex establishment you may need a licence from the local authority.
However, you may apply to the local authority requesting them to waive the requirement of a licence.
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
A summary of the regulation relating to this licence
Application Evaluation Process
Fees will be payable for applications and conditions may be attached.
Applications must be in writing (including by electronic means) and contain any information the local authority requires, as well as the applicant's name, address and, where the applicant is an individual, their age, plus the address of the premises.
Applicants must give public notice of their application by publishing an advertisement in a local newspaper.
Will Tacit Consent Apply?
No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the local authority within a reasonable period, please contact it. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or use the contact details below.
Forms to download, print and post
Should you wish to apply by post, you can download the following PDF forms from this page that you can complete and post to us:
- SE1 - Grant of a sex establishment licence
- SE2 - Renewal of a sex establishment licence
- SE3 - Transfer of a sex establishment licence
- SE4 - Variation of a sex establishment licence
- SE5 - Information on Individuals
- SE6 - Example Notice
- SE7 - Standard declaration
Forms to download and email
If you would prefer to be sent application forms by email that you can type directly onto, please contact us. We can accept payment by phone.
Apply online
Apply for a licence for a sex establishment
Tell us about a change to your existing sex establishment licence
Please note that should you use the UK Welcomes or BusinessLink sites to apply for your licence, further information may be required by the council.
Failed Application Redress
Please contact us in the first instance.
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
Licence Holder Redress
Please contact us in the first instance.
A licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition can appeal to a local magistrates' court.
Consumer Complaint
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.
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.
Other Redress
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.
Trade Associations
None