PETER Luff was today set make a last-ditch bid to prevent new licensing laws bringing travelling circuses to their knees.
The Mid-Worcestershire MP will table his own legislation exempting circuses from the Licensing Act 2003. The Act, which comes into force next month, will cripple circuses by requiring them to apply for a costly new licence everywhere they go. Mr Luff has fought a long-running campaign to protect circuses from the Act and will table a 10-minute rule bill today amending it.
Mr Luff said: "The Act just wasn't constructed with the needs of touring circuses in mind - indeed, the circus industry had been led to expect a total exemption from the provisions of the Act.
"The central problem is that the Act requires premises to be licensed - fine for a theatre that doesn't move, but a real issue for a touring circus that moves up to 40 times a year. So the Royal Opera House needs one licence and a small touring circus needs 40."
Mr Luff's Licensing Act 2003 (Amendment) Bill would enable the Government to either provide the annual licensing of circuses, amend the Temporary Event Notice procedure for circuses or exempt circuses from the Act altogether.
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