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Wrong details on licence
QWe have recently received our new premises licence and it shows different hours from the ones we requested in the variation section. There were no representations and we were not asked to appear before the committee. What has happened?
AIt could just be a clerical error. Remember that licensing authorities are processing hundreds of forms at the moment and the occasional slip-up is likely to occur. Basically, you are entitled by law to get what you asked for, if there were no representations, because the licensing authority has no legal power to amend the form, unless it was wrongly expressed.
This should not require any more than a quick telephone call to the licensing officer, pointing out the discrepancy. If you have kept a copy of the application, as you should have done, you will have a record of what was requested. Without that, you will have to request sight of the actual application which you sent to the authority, so that you can check it.
The authority will then send out a revised licence with the correct hours on it, plus a revised summary, which you will be required to display in the premises.
It is vital that the hours are correct, because selling outside those hours is a serious offence which could result in prosecution. The police will be likely to use the displayed form of the licence to check whether you are operating correctly.
Discounts on happy day
' am thinking of celebrating the 'Glorious 24th' with a free round or a discount scheme for my regulars, some of whom remember when we last changed the licensing laws! Will this be legal under the new regime, or will the local council object?
AAs far as giving away pints of beer is concerned on the second appointed day, that is entirely up to you. The law is primarily concerned with the sale of drink during regulated hours, and gifts by the landlord to genuine friends will still be perfectly legal. If you wish to make an historic gesture to some of your customers, then there is nothing in the law or the town hall to stop you!
Care must, however, be exercised in any scheme which involves a discount, or selling a product at more or less than the normal price. As you may know, consumer legislation has decreed that specimen price lists must be displayed in all bars and the prices charged must comply with the listed prices.
You should also be aware of the current policies on 'happy hours' and discounting, and if there is a local agreement on this, make sure you do not fall foul of current restrictions.
But I can see no reason why you cannot specify or advertise a discount for one evening, or for a period, as a special concession to customers. The object of the law is to prevent overcharging. There is no legal reason why you cannot specify certain drinks or lower prices for an evening, as long as the advertisement makes it quite clear what is happening, and the concession is clearly indicated on the premises.
New club steward
QWe have recently appointed a new club steward, who has been in the licensed trade and has a qualification. Does he need a personal licence to run the members' bar?
ANot if you are currently a registered members' club and applied for a club premises certificate. The requirement to have a designated premises supervisor or personal licence holder only applies to a premises licence. Clubs such as yours are run by the committee and do not need licensed personnel.
If he does obtain a personal licence at some stage, that will be for his own use if he decides for some reason to return to the licensed side of the trade.
