Leisure - June 2007

In this first edition of the Leisure e-bulletin we discuss  policing the smoking ban;...

...popular attractions that produce high noise levels; regulations to control the trend for all year tans; guidance for firework use and the IRB changes the rules for contact sports.

Policing the smoking Ban

Whilst difficult to avoid the current wide-spread coverage of the implementation of the smoking ban on 1 July, how it will be enforced in practice has been given less consideration.  Staff who tackle smoking customers are vulnerable to verbal and possibly physical abuse, and therefore need to be appropriately trained to diffuse such situations.   Peter Forshaw comments on appropriate guidance for licensees and other operators of public venues.

Scream if you want them to quieten down - Roper v Tussauds Theme Parks Ltd

 This High Court case once again highlights the difficulties faced by leisure operators in respect of popular attractions which produce significant levels of noise. Operators will be relieved to learn that this interesting decision strikes a welcome balance between the rights of the public, and the commercial  needs of the operators themselves.  Peter Forshaw analyses how and why the court reached its decision.

‘The Electric Beach’ - Preventing over-exposure to claims liability

The current trend for an ‘all year round’ tan means increasing demand for tanning facilities, both in the high street and in gyms and hotels.  As organisations like The British Medical Association call for better consumer protection, is it time that more specific regulation was introduced to control the operation of commercial sunbeds and to avoid exposing operators and insurers to unnecessary liability?  Sue Burchill looks at the issues.

Remember Remember (not just) the 5th November

Firework events are no longer restricted to Bonfire Night.  Hotels in particular rely on fireworks all year round to make events go with a bang, from weddings to corporate events  However in the relaxed euphoria of the party, it must not be forgotten that such fireworks are potentially dangerous and with the safety of the public being paramount, it is essential to maintain high standards of health and safety at all times.  Peter Forshaw considers practical guidance to ensure that such events ‘go off’ smoothly.

“Scrum Down” - the risks involved in rugby scrums

The recent rule change by the IRB once again highlights the potential dangers of rugby and other contact sports.  Jonathan Hodgkinson considers the new rule and its success in minimising the risk of personal injury.

Should you require any further information on any of the topics discussed, please contact peter.forshaw@weightmans.com

Weightmans’ Leisure Unit offers specialist legal advice and support across the leisure industry.  Click here to find out more about our Leisure and Retail sector.

This update does not attempt to provide a full analysis of those matters with which it deals and is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice and should not be treated as a substitute for legal advice.

Weightmans LLP accepts no responsibility for any loss that may arise from reliance on the information in this update.  The copyright for this update is owned by Weightmans LLP 2007.