Licensing Hub – Legal with Poppleston Allen

Selling alcohol online: what licences do vendors need?

By Poppleston Allen

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Licensing

Who can sell alcohol online and what licences do vendors need to hold?

We are finding that clients, both large and small, are looking for ways in which they can maximise a return on the premises licence by taking advantage of the growing trend to enjoy an evening in whether that be watching Love Island​ or by playing Mario Kart​.

But how simple is it to deliver alcohol to someone’s house?

A lot of our larger clients are taking advantage of Deliveroo or Just Eat and their growing popularity among young people to enjoy a restaurant meal without leaving home.

In order to deliver alcohol to someone’s home, the premises licence must provide for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.

Drinking and eating in

Even if the licence does so provide then there may be conditions that restrict the circumstances in which alcohol can be sold.

We have seen examples of the amount of alcohol that can be delivered with any sale limited or more, commonly a condition that requires alcohol can only be delivered with a meal.

If you do not have a licence at all or alternatively you do not have a licence that permits the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises then you need to be careful when applying to the licensing authority for a new licence or for a variation of the licence that would permit alcohol delivery.

  • Find out what else the authorities expect from online alcohol vendors in part two here

For any legal enquiries please visit Poppleston Allen's website​.

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