Many couples only discover their venue's music curfew when the band asks for it. It is one of the most important facts for planning your evening, so ask early.
What a curfew is
A curfew is the time live and amplified music must stop. It may come from the venue's premises licence, its planning conditions or its own house rules. Common reasons are nearby homes, guest bedrooms or rural locations where sound travels.
Curfews are different from the time the bar closes or guests must leave. Ask about all three.
How a curfew affects your entertainment
- Set times: the last set has to finish before the curfew, so work backwards to plan.
- Breakdown time: the act needs time to pack up after the curfew, and the venue may have its own deadline for that too.
- Extra time: you can't usually extend live music past the curfew on the night.
Curfews and sound limiters
Some venues have both a curfew and a sound limiter, which cuts power if volume goes over a set level. Read sound limiters explained.
Questions to ask your venue
- What time must live music finish?
- Is there a different time for recorded music?
- When must equipment be removed?
- Does the curfew differ for outdoor areas or marquees?
Choosing acts for an early curfew
If music must stop early, consider an earlier start for the evening party, or an act that suits quieter rooms, such as an acoustic duo.
Quick answers
Can we pay the venue to extend the curfew?
Sometimes, if it is a house rule rather than a licence condition. Ask the venue.
Will the band know about the curfew?
Tell us when you book, and we'll make sure the act does.
Next steps
Send your venue's finish time with your enquiry, and we'll plan the sets around it.
Ready to find your act?
Flair Entertainments has been booking entertainers for clients across the UK since 1984. Send us your date, venue and the kind of night you want and we’ll come back with acts that suit.
