Premises Licence

Annual fees and the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act

01-May-2012 By Jonathan Smith

The change introduced by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (PRSRA) from 25 April which will affect each and every licensed premises, is the power for licensing authorities to suspend premises licences or club premises certificates for...

Lincs pub found with majority of underage customers

08-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A Lincolnshire pub has been served with a closure notice for failing a test purchase operation and having a majority of underage customers.

M&B wins licence conditions case

30-Aug-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has won a ground-breaking appeal against a premises licence condition that would have forced it to fit ‘privacy shields’ to hand-held PDQ machines at the Goat in Clapham, London.

Residents drinks issue is here to stay

03-May-2011 By Peter Coulson

News of the proposed link-up between Travelodge and some pub groups may bring up the whole question of drinks for residents again.

Number of pub, bar and club licences drops 13%

28-Mar-2011 By Graham Ridout

The number of pubs, bars, nightclubs and restaurants surrendering their premises licence increased by 13% over the past year, according to research...

Licensing Law: Hours of confusion guaranteed

25-Nov-2010

The existence of separate licensing and planning regimes causes frequent confusion amongst both publicans and statutory authorities alike, given that...

Change of use for retirement

23-Nov-2010 By Peter Coulson

To retire and use your pub as a home and not a business, you need to arrange change of use from commercial to residential, says Peter Coulson.

Responsible drinks retailing — partnership is the key

15-Nov-2010 By Paul Chase

It's hard to believe in the sincerity of government when there is such a contrast between rhetoric and reality, says Paul Chase.

Airport ops with a sting in the tail

25-Oct-2010 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson explains why airport bar operators do not need a premises licence, after the issue was raised following sting tests at Gatwick Airport.

Middlesbrough plans minimum prices

19-Aug-2010 By John Harrington

Council chiefs in Middlesbrough are threatening to review licences of shops and pubs selling alcohol below 50p per unit. In a novel move,...

Rutland pub loses licence after landlord liquidation

03-Aug-2010 By Lesley Foottit

A Rutland pub has lost its premises licence and thousands of pounds in trade after its landlord went into liquidation. Ventra 18 failed to let...

Precautions for promotions

28-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson

Issuing diktats to licensees in an uncompromising way is not good regulation, says Peter Coulson.

Law changes: lifting the bar on old rules

21-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson

I read recently about a pub polling station, but there are strange prohibitions concerning the use of pubs for official business, says Peter Coulson.

Doormen: keeping yourself covered at work

08-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson explains that the pub or club is liable for their doormen's actions, regardless of any contract with the agency.

The importance of delegation in pubs

02-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson explains the ins and outs of delegation by the designated premises supervisor under the current law.

De-licensing: waiting for the right time

18-May-2010 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson explains how to give up a pub as a business, but remain in the premises as a private house.

Government's offence overload

02-Feb-2010 By Peter Coulson

The Government is increasing the number of "relevant offences" under the Licensing Act that cause objection to an applicant, says Peter Coulson.

More time for grieving families

19-Jan-2010 By Peter Coulson

The second change in the new consultation regarding TENs is a long-standing problem, which I first wrote about at the time of the Act.

Glasgow pubs get emergency three-month licensing extension

05-Nov-2009

Pubs in Glasgow have been given an extra three months to have a premises licence in place following further chaos in the wake of the new regime....

Losing the war over proof of age

29-Sep-2009 By Peter Coulson

The Home Office is winning the propaganda war that the fault for underage drinking lies with the trade, says Peter Coulson.

Egging on the council objectors

25-Jun-2009 By Peter Coulson

It is a slightly worrying trend when licensing officials become directly involved in "generating" licensing objections, says Peter Coulson.

Forced to accept second best

12-Jun-2009 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson considers the great tied lease debate.

Bar's licence stripped over drug use and disorder

03-Jun-2009 By James Wilmore

Licensees have been reminded they must clampdown on troublemakers, after a music bar was stripped of its premises licence following evidence of drug...

Damocles' sword threatens hosts

15-May-2009 By Peter Coulson

Various police forces and local authorities are taking their own ideas and just going ahead, says Peter Coulson.

Step forward for communities

17-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport measure aimed at helping village halls and community centres to allow alcohol sales at events, says Peter Coulson.

H&W case clarifies legal responsibility

09-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson

Last week's High Court victory for Hall & Woodhouse has clarified the position on the direct responsibility of the licence holder for offences committed by others, says Peter Coulson.

CCTV cameras: the eyes have it

26-Mar-2009 By Peter Coulson

Blanket CCTV is not a licensing requirement, says Peter Coulson.

Getting the measure of it

20-Feb-2009 By Peter Coulson

Putting together a code of practice, is clearly not as easy as it looks, especially if you are a civil servant with only a vague grasp of the licensing laws, says Peter Coulson.

Have I got news for you?

13-Feb-2009 By Peter Coulson

If ever there was a time to take precautions, it is now, when the Government is about to tighten up the law specifically directed at the holders of premises licences, says Peter Coulson.

Whose beer is it anyway?

06-Feb-2009 By Peter Coulson

There is an interesting legal argument raging at the moment about who actually sells the beer in a pub, says Peter Coulson.

Lapse of licence under section 27

29-Jan-2009 By Peter Coulson

The economic downturn has thrown up some legal traps in the licensed trade recently, principally in terms of the premises licence itself, says Peter Coulson.

Rules for resisting

27-Nov-2008 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson looks at the "requirement" that the designated premises supervisor (DPS) should give a written delegation to all staff allowing them to sell alcohol.

Outside smoking banned at pub

14-Aug-2008 By John Harrington

A licensee has been ordered to refuse service to customers who smoke on the street outside her pub. This message must be carried on signs at the...

In the lap of the licensing gods...

02-Jul-2008

Recent years have seen our high streets swamped with outfits whose sole purpose is to extract money from gullible punters awash with city bonuses and...

Q&A

26-Jun-2008

Later time for drinks Q. One of the reasons we are losing trade is that the nearest pub to us regularly stays open after the hours the licensee was...

Back to Basics: Licensing in Scotland

29-May-2008

And now it's Scotland's turn. The transition period for moving to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 is upon us.If your licence was due to expire in...

Q&A

29-May-2008

Licence after bankruptcy Q. I want to take over a pub, but I am a recently discharged bankrupt. Will there be any problems with the licences or with...

Licensing@aol.com

13-Mar-2008

Presence of DPS Q We have been told that our premises licence requires that alcohol may only be sold when there is a designated premises supervisor...

Licensing@aol.com

10-Jan-2008

Consent not obtained QCan you clarify the legal position when we apply for a transfer of a premises licence and the outgoing holder has refused to...

Blackpool council explains smoke rebel's review

20-Nov-2007

Blackpool Council has confirmed three of the four licensing objectives had not been upheld at Delboys

Licensing@aol.com

01-Aug-2007

Displaying a premises licence Q At long last I have got my premises licence. Is it this that has to be displayed in the bar, and where exactly must...

Licensing@aol.com

26-Jul-2007

AWP machines and licences Q Concerning your article last week, I thought that the right to have two AWP machines was bundled with the premises...

Licensing@aol.com

14-Jun-2007

Staff receiving a caution QI have just found out that one of my evening staff was cautioned last month for serving someone underage. She didn't tell...

Smoking ban advice for Manchester licensees

21-May-2007

Manchester trade group issues smoke ban advice after a number of calls from 'worries' licensees

Licensing@aol.com

03-May-2007

TEN for bar in council's hall Q I have a colleague who holds a personal licence. He has been asked to run a bar for an event at a hall owned by the...

Licensing@aol.com

01-Mar-2007

Child labour in pubs QWe own our own pub and our eldest child, aged 14, would like to help out behind the bar on an occasional basis. We saw a news...

Public house to private home

15-Feb-2007

The gloomy predictions for pub closures over the next few years will highlight the fact that it is still difficult to "de-license" a pub. I don't...

Licensing@aol.com

15-Feb-2007

Changes of address Q We have recently moved pubs in the same district. The premises licence is held by the same brewery. In all the pressure of the...

Licensing@aol.com

08-Feb-2007

Eject with care Q I have been told that you can still use force to eject someone from a pub but a friend in the trade has said that I could be in...

Legal advice: Testing times for licensees selling to under-18s

06-Feb-2007

Out of every £7 spent on shopping, £1 goes into the tills at Tesco. Unfortunately for the supermarket giant it seems some of this income has come...