Licensing law

Legal

Advice: The social media minefield

14-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

New apps and social networks could land a licensee in trouble, if not navigated appropriately.

legal advice

How to face a licensing hearing - and win

09-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

In this article, we highlight some more practical issues that operators can face if they choose or are otherwise required to attend a licensing hearing without legal representation.

Legal advice

Q&A: Police action against employees and charity events

09-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A focuses on what to do when the police want to ban an employee from a venue, and what to do when charity winner drinks a bottle in a un-licensed village hall

Legal advice

Advice: Timescales clearer on deregulations

09-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

We have been commenting on the Deregulation Bill 2014 for some time and providing updates where possible on the proposed timescales for it receiving royal assent and the Deregulation Act coming into force.

Licensing law

Pub entertainment deregulation comes into force

07-Apr-2015 By Mike Berry

Red tape has been cut for pubs wanting to host live music and community events following changes that came into force on 6 April under the Licensing Act.

Legal advice

Legal Q&A: Licence applications within a cumulative impact zone

02-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A looks at licence applications within a cumulative impact policy area and capacity limitation being removed from licences.

Legal advice

Legal top tips: raising funds for charity

02-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

Clients often ask how they can raise funds for charitable causes and have ideas for a variety of promotional events, which could be used to support good causes.

Legal

Advice: Decoding premise licences

02-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

Some of my clients’ premises licences look like a modern version of the Voynich manuscript.

Warrington licensee alleges police ‘vendetta’

02-Apr-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

A Warrington licensee hit out at the “outrageous” tactics of police officers, after he was arrested and faces trial next week for licensing breaches that had already been investigated during a civil review.

Licensing Act: Offences now carry 'potentially unlimited' fines

01-Apr-2015 By Helen Gilbert

Magistrates could hand out unlimited fines for offences under the Licensing Act 2003, following the removal of a cap on maximum penalties.

Personal licence renewals abolished from 1 April

27-Mar-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

Publicans with personal licences expiring on or after 1 April 2015 will not need to apply for renewal, the Home Office has confirmed.

Legal

Advice: What licences do you need for music?

24-Mar-2015 By Poppleston Allen

Music in your bar or club is one of the most important elements of the entertainment you provide to your customers — you wouldn’t visit a nightclub if there was no music.

Legal

Legal advice: The risk of fire hazard rules

10-Mar-2015 By Poppleston Allen

It goes without saying that there is a very large amount of regulatory compliance, which affects licensed premises. Fire safety is a such an area, which is very important, bearing in mind the tragic consequences that can flow from a failure to comply.

Legal Advice

Legal Q&A: Gaming machines and poker nights

09-Mar-2015 By Jonathan Smith

This week's legal Q&A considers the issues of gaming machine permits and poker nights.

Legal advice: Enforcement visits

06-Mar-2015 By Jonathan Smith

The prospect of licensing officers, environmental health officers or the police visiting your premises, scrutinising the way you operate and looking for every non-compliance is a daunting one, regardless of whether you have managed a pub for 20 years...

Future pub special

Legal view: A possible future for pubs

05-Mar-2015 By Jonathan Smith

It’s arrived at last! It’s Saturday night and weeks of anticipation culminate here. My wellbeing health app tells me that I can safely drink six units tonight without going over my weekly unit allowance.

Legal advice: Latest on entertainment law

03-Mar-2015 By Poppleston Allen - Lisa Inzani & Andy Grimsey

If it seems like we have been talking about entertainment deregulation for years, we have.

Legal Q&A: Do 'inflatable pubs' require licensing?

19-Feb-2015 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A focuses on powers against intoxicated customers and inflatable structures

Reforms to zero hour contracts

17-Feb-2015 By Poppleston Allen

Sometimes it can be a challenge to plan ahead and predict the number of staff you will require for the weeks ahead, often resulting in being understaffed because you cannot get anyone at short notice or overstaffed and paying an employee who is not required.

Legal Advice

Legal advice: The gamble is far from over

17-Feb-2015 By Poppleston Allen

Last year was a good year for those of you, like me, who have an interest in both pubs and gambling.

Cumulative impact: The impact on licensing

13-Feb-2015 By Poppleston Allen

There is little doubt that cumulative impact or saturation policies are having an increasingly significant “impact” on the licensing process.

Allergen laws: Food businesses concern over staff misinformation

12-Feb-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Operators are fearful of members of staff passing on the wrong allergen information to customers and keeping on top of daily allergen information to communicate to diners in food and beverage outlets.

Legal Q&A: Licence review request

22-Jan-2015 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A includes information on licence renewal requests and complaints over access.

Taking the law into your own hands

22-Jan-2015 By Poppleston Allen

Now the festive period is over, many of you will be thinking of ways to maximise your profits during 2015.

Legal comment: Year of deregulation awaits

14-Jan-2015 By Poppleston Allen

I suspect that 2015 will be an interesting year for the trade. My experience is that since New Labour’s wholesale reform of licensing in England and Wales, which became the Licensing Act 2003, every year brings about a certain amount of uncertainty.

Warrington publicans 'too scared' to call the police

14-Jan-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

Licensees in Warrington claim they will no longer call the police when there are incidents at their premises for fear it will be used as evidence against them in licensing reviews, following a suspected crackdown on late-night bars in the town.

Lawyer warns publicans over personal licence renewal deadline

17-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell and Helen Gilbert

A leading licensing lawyer has urged English and Welsh publicans to act swiftly in renewing their personal licences, following new figures that show thousands of Scottish licences are set to be revoked after holders failed to meet Government deadlines.

Legal Q&A: Selling alcohol online and late night barbecues

17-Dec-2014 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A includes information on selling alcohol online and late-night barbecues.

Home Office stats show rise in number of licensed premises

15-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

The number of licensed premises in England and Wales has risen 3% in the last five years to reach 204,300 as of 31 March 2014.

Poppleston Allen: Stocking fillers for the new year

15-Dec-2014 By Poppleston Allen

It’s that time of year where everywhere you look there are snowmen, sleigh bells and stacks of presents.

Trade bodies urge Chancellor to 'Drop the Duty' on wines and spirits

15-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) and Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has launched its campaign to lobby for a 2% cut in duty on wine and spirits.

BBPA confirms it will not challenge MRO in pubs code

11-Dec-2014 By James Wallin

The British Beer & Pub Association has confirmed it will not seek to overturn the inclusion of a mandatory market rent only option in the pubs code, and accepts it will now become law.

Publican slams council over 'unlawful' licensing errors

11-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A north London licensee has hit out at basic licensing errors made by his local council that sought to unlawfully restrict his trading hours over the festive period.

Exclusive research

New allergen laws: Majority of licensees think EU legislation 'unnecessary'

11-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

Ahead of the new EU rules on displaying allergen information that come into force in two days’ time (13 December), just one third of licensees say that they are able to name the 14 allergens covered by the legislation.

Licensing changes never end

10-Dec-2014 By Poppleston Allen

There have been a lot of changes in the licensing world during the past 12 months and even more are proposed for next year.

Government acts at last over mystery of licence renewals

08-Dec-2014 By Poppleston Allen

On 13 November at the Institute of Licensing’s national training event in Birmingham, the Home Office at long last provided some further “guidance” on the renewal of personal licences.

Legal Q&A: Private birthday parties and wine measurements

05-Dec-2014 By Poppelston Allen

In this week's legal Q&A, our experts look at issues around hosting private birthday parties and wine measurements.

Legal advice: The risk of fire is always present

05-Dec-2014 By Poppleston Allen

Fire risk assessment is crucial at at time of year - and especially over the Christmas period. Find out about the process.

Mike Berry: Personal licences renewal process has been a mess

05-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

We first flagged up potential problems with personal licence renewals back in the summer.

Trade demands further clarity on personal licence renewal guidance

03-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Senior industry figures have raised concerns about the lack of detail in the long-awaited Government guidance outlining how publicans can renew personal licences.

Legal Q&A: Serving a police officer - and disputes on notices

02-Dec-2014 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A asks whether you can serve alcohol or sell alcohol to a police officer in uniform in a shop or licensed premise - and disputes on notices.

Home Office issues guidance on personal licence renewals

28-Nov-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The Home Office has published guidance outlining how publicans need to renew personal licences, but has not yet provided the new application form or set a date for when the deregulation of the licences will come into force.

Existing licensing powers of entry to remain unchanged, says Home Office

27-Nov-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The Home Office has decided to maintain the existing powers of entry under the Licensing Act, following a review into the measures.

New allergens law: Trade pleas to avoid overreaction

27-Nov-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

With new allergens legislation coming into force, Ellie Bothwell asks what’s in store for those who fail to comply.

Legal advice: Dealing with drugs

24-Nov-2014 By Poppleston Allen

Drugs can be an issue in a variety of licensed premises and with the plethora of current licensing requirements, record keeping and business responsibilities it is one that may easily be overlooked.

Publicans still awaiting clarity from Home Office over personal licence renewals

19-Nov-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The pub trade is still awaiting clarification from the Home Office regarding the application forms that need to be completed to renew personal licences.