New Guidance Issued on Venue Lettings to Prevent Extremism

November 13, 2025 Off By

Leeds City Council updates advice for organisations hiring venues

Leeds Prevent, part of Leeds City Council, has highlighted concerns regarding the use of venues by organisations with extremist links. In recent months, there have been incidents where venues have been rented out to groups without full awareness of their nature or affiliations. This has raised potential risks to community cohesion and public safety.

Purpose of the Guidance

The refreshed Prevent Lettings Guidance aims to help private and third sector organisations—including charities, community groups, faith organisations, sports clubs, and licensed premises—manage bookings for rooms, venues, or outdoor spaces more effectively. The guidance is applicable to events held online, in person, or in hybrid formats.

Its objective is to assist organisations in assessing booking enquiries to ensure that activities align with their values and do not promote hate or violence.

Key Recommendations

The guidance outlines a straightforward process for organisations to follow when taking bookings:

ASK: Pose questions such as “What’s planned?” and “Who is organising it?” to understand the nature of the event and the group involved.
CHECK: Conduct due diligence to verify the information provided and to uncover any additional relevant details.
DECIDE: Use the gathered information to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with the booking and determine any necessary next steps.

Support and Further Information

Leeds Prevent offers assistance to organisations requiring advice on managing bookings or understanding the Prevent programme. They can be contacted via email at prevent@leeds.gov.uk or by telephone on 0113 535 0810.

Additional resources, including the full Prevent Lettings Guidance and a summary leaflet, are available for download from Leeds City Council’s website.