Premises Licences and Club Premises Certificates

 

Most premises that wish to carry out licensable activities will need a Premises Licence or Club Premises Certificate. Licensable activities are:

  • Sale of Alcohol
  • Supply of Alcohol by or on behalf of a Club
  • Provision of Regulated Entertainment
  • Provision of Late Night Refreshment (hot food/drink between 11pm and 5am)

 

A Premises Licence/Club Premises Certificate can bars and clubsbe granted either for a fixed term e.g. for a one-off event with an attendance of over 500, or indefinitely e.g. for pubs, clubs, off-licences etc.

 

If one of the activities you carry out at your premises is the sale of alcohol, you will also need at least one Personal Licence holder. One of whom must be named on the premises licence as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). It is expected that the DPS will be the person in day-to-day control of the premises and that they will be the point of contact for the Licensing Authority, Police and Fire services. This person, however, does not necessarily have to be the premises licence holder.

 

When applying for a Premises Licence or Club Premises Certificate, applicants will have to complete the relevant application form and also submit:

  • A plan of the premises
  • The correct fee (dependent on the non domestic rateable value of the premises)
  • Form of consent from the Designated Premises Supervisor, if the application involves the sale of alcohol (Premises Licence applications only)
  • A copy of the club rules (Club Premises Certificate applications only)

 

You must also ensure the following:

  • Copies of the application, including the plan, must be sent to all responsible authorities
  • The application must be advertised on the premises and in a local newspaper

 

Following the acceptance of your application and a subsequent 28-day consultation period, the Licensing Authority has delegated powers to grant your licence as long as no objections (relevant representations) have been received. The licence will have conditions imposed upon it in line with your proposed operating schedule that promote the four licensing objectives.

 

If relevant representations are made, a Committee will be held and the committee members will consider the application. This may not be necessary if mediation takes place between the applicant and the objector and an agreement is reached before the committee is held.

 

A Premises Licence/Club Premises Certificate is valid indefinitely, i.e. until it is revoked, suspended or surrendered.

 

There are a number of exemptions from the requirement to have a Premises Licence. These include:

  • Religious services and places of worship
  • Film exhibitions for the purposes of advertising or education
  • Films in museums
  • Garden fetes
  • Vehicles in motion
  • Live TV and radio broadcasts
  • Music incidental to other activities

 

Premises Licences