The licence that some UK adventure providers hold today began with a tragedy. This page tells that story briefly and carefully, because it matters to families and it changed how the sector works.
What happened
On 22 March 1993, four teenagers died while on a sea kayaking trip from Lyme Regis to Charmouth in Dorset. The trip was run by an outdoor centre. The centre and its manager were prosecuted, and the manager was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter.
The law
A local MP, David Jamieson, brought a bill to introduce licensing for adventure activities. After the trial the government had favoured a voluntary approach, but the comments of the judge on the risks of self regulation increased the pressure. The Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act received Royal Assent in 1995.
The licensing body
The Act led to a licensing authority for providers who offer certain activities to young people under 18. The scheme was later reinforced by the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004. The licensing work is now done by the Adventure Activities Licensing Service, which is part of the Health and Safety Executive.
Limits of the scheme
The licence does not cover everything. Schools and voluntary groups are outside it, and not every adventure activity is included. It was written around activities offered to people under 18, so check what applies to your group. Our adventure activities licence guide explains what to look for.
Where this leaves you
A licence is one check, not the only one. See our how to check a provider is safe guide.
Sources
- Lyme Bay canoeing disaster, Wikipedia
- Paddling incident in Lyme Bay leads to UK outdoor safety regulations, Viristar
- Everything you need to know about the AALS, Papertrail
The scheme has been under review in recent years, so check the Health and Safety Executive for the current position.