The Student Nations will lose their right to serve alcohol as a closed society. “No big change”, according to the municipality’s permit unit. But Kuratorskollegiet (KK) has a completely different view on the matter.
An investigation from the police states that Kuratorskollegiet, the Nations’ joint committee, no longer shall be viewed as a closed society in the way the law entails.
This means that, in the future, Lund’s Student Nations will need a public serving permit when organising an event targeting other people than the Nation’s own members. The alternative is to reorganise and stop offering, for example, pubs and clubs for all members in Studentlund.
“If all of KK’s members are to be considered a closed society, then you might as well claim that an event for all Swedish citizens, or everyone named Per, is not a public event”, says Annika Landfors, head of Tillståndsenheten (The Permission Unit) Lund municipality.
Annika Landfors thinks that the police’s judgement is just. She is not surprised by the coming decision.
She continues: “The Nations would never have gotten that permit had they applied for it today. Uppsala stopped categorising the Nations as closed societies ten years ago. That Lund chooses to act now is because of new people in the police’s investigation”.
“It is just about checking another box”
The requirement for a public serving permit does not necessarily have to have large consequences for the Student Nations, according to Annika Landfors.
“It’s really just about checking another box. We know that the Nations fulfil the requirement necessary for a public serving permit and we want to cooperate in order to make the transition as smooth as possible”, she says.
One of the changes is that the Nations now need a dancing permit from the police – if the event features dancing – which costs 700 SEK per year.
Furthermore, there will need to be security guards at events where people will dance. But Annika Landfors tones down the consequences of this.
“Most of the Nations already pay hosts, who in many cases are trained security guards. Now they get to act as guards with a “badge” and have their authority extended. This would be very positive and increase security. Security guards can for instance get in contact with the police faster, which some Nations have requested”, she says.
“Closed societies are essential”
Fredrik Grotte, chairman of Kuratorskollegiet, is of another opinion regarding what these changes will mean for the Student Nations.
“The idea of closed societies is essential to our operation, and for Lund’s campus life. If you start questioning the closed society, you also question the very foundation our community is based on”, he says.
According to him, the shift to public serving permits in Uppsala had a significant consequence with more commercialised Nations as the result. And Fredrik Grotte does not want to see the same thing happen in Lund.
“KK will do everything in its power to preserve the non-profit commitment that exists at our Nations and city. Otherwise the Nations will have to try financing their business by for example renting out their locales to company parties or wedding parties, and that is not the purpose with Student Nations”, says Fredrik Grotte.
Small Nations affected
During an earlier meeting with KK, the police and the municipality’s permit unit, it emerged that the every Nations’ view on public serving permit differs. According to Kuratorskollegiet’s chairman, this is mostly due to the Nations’ different sizes and economic resources.
Some Nations already have entrance hosts who charge the same amount as security guards. Other Nations still have volunteers, and are often smaller establishment.
So this hurts the smaller Nations?
“Yes, that is definitely the case”.
Fredrik Grotte thinks that Annika Landfors, who does not think that a public serving permit will bring about any significant change, has a strange attitude.
“I personally feel that she does not have a deep enough insight into our operation and our Nations’ economy to make such a statement”. He finishes by saying: “They simply make this a trifle”.
By the 31st of March each one of the thirteen Nations must have submitted their application for a dancing permit – otherwise their club establishment have to stop.
Ordningslagen (Law of Conduct), chapter 2 section 3
… states that events where alcohol is being served can, in some cases, be equated to a public event, even if they require an invitation or membership.
Which license is needed depends on the type of activity the organiser generally pursues and how many people in reality have access to the event.
If an event with alcohol is equated to a public event a license for public serving is needed, and not the one for closed societies that the Nations have had so far.
Article: Oskar Madunic Olsson
Translation: Viktor Jönsson
