13 March 2017
With hair and beauty salons and barbershops commonly featuring television screens to entertain clients whilst they’re in the chair, the NHBF has issued a warning to businesses to make sure they’re correctly licensed.
Television is more accessible now than ever before for clients and staff within salon and barbershop businesses. Not only is television often played in the background for clients and staff to watch, but individual wall-mounted screens have also been introduced, along with client tablets that have access to on-demand services, such as iPlayer.
When is a TV Licence needed in hair and beauty salons and barbershops?
Salons need a TV Licence if they provide a TV or tablet for customers or staff to watch live TV programmes or BBC programmes on iPlayer. If the salon does not have a licence then the business risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.
The warning to hair and beauty businesses
The warning from the NHBF has also come after ten salons across the UK were prosecuted for licence fee evasion last year. Additionally, over 2015/16, TV Licensing enquiry officers visited more than 36,000 businesses, including hair salons and barbershops, to check if they were correctly licensed. Businesses can check if a licence is needed by visiting the TV Licensing website.
Jason Hill, TV Licensing spokesperson said: “With many salons mounting small TV screens by each chair or providing handheld tablets so customers don’t miss a minute of their best-loved TV shows, live TV and hairdressing have never been closer. But it’s important salon owners and managers take a few moments to review and update their licensing requirements.”
Hilary Hall, CEO of the NHBF added: “Clients indulge in time out at the hairdressers or barbers, which is why many salons owners like to enhance their experience with television. As TV screens are becoming standard in salons and barbershops, we hope that business owners will take note and purchase a TV licence at the same time.
The NHBF regularly reminds business owners that having a licence is a legal requirement, and we will continue to do so as more and more businesses add televisions to their offering.”
TV in the workplace viewing guide
To help businesses and staff understand the legal implications of watching programmes live at work, TV Licensing has produced a downloadable “TV in the Workplace” guide. The guide allows managers to outline whether the business is covered by a TV Licence and whether staff and customers are allowed to watch TV in the workplace, download the template here.