Council halts pensioners Carry On film screenings

What a Carry On! Elderly film fans have been forced to cancel plans to screen the classic comedy series at their care home, after they were told they did not have a licence. Castle Point Council told residents at the Lawns Court sheltered housing complex, off the Lawns, Benfleet, they were not licensed to show DVDs and videos in the building’s communal room.

An internal investigation by the authority found none of its eight sheltered homes had the required Public Video Screening Licence. The council has refused to stump up the annual £99 fee for the document. The news has disappointed Lawns resident Les Allen, 81.



He had recently bought a new DVD player, so a group could enjoy films in the communal room. Mr Allen was planning to show his box set of Carry On! films, featuring stars Barbara Windsor and Sid James, to residents. He said: “Obviously, we can’t do any of this now.

“The DVD player is just standing in my front room. This licence has been required for years. Why has the council’s legal department only just realised it now? Our feeling is if anyone should be paying for this, it should be the council.”