Licensing law

Brexit

PMA licensee poll: Brexit or Bremain?

14-Jun-2016 By Mike Berry

In just over a week the electorate of the United Kingdom will make its biggest decision in modern political history - to stay in the EU or leave.

The summer of sport: could you be in breach of your lease?

14-Jun-2016 By Jonathan Foulds and Catherine Davey

 Law firm Stevens & Boltons Jonathan Foulds and Catherine Davey explain how pubs can stay on the right side of the law during the bumper summer of sport

Councils

Council set to scrap late-night levy

14-Jun-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

Cheltenham Borough Council moving towards the introduction of a Business Improvement District (BID) charge instead of the late-night levy in the town.

Legal advice

Lords review of Licensing Act will be a challenging task

10-Jun-2016 By Poppleston Allen

On 25 May 2016, it was announced that an ad hoc House of Lords Committee has been established to “consider and report on the Licensing Act 2003”. The exact purpose of the committee is uncertain but it will be calling for evidence over the next few months...

Caught on camera: Drunk councillor threatens to shut pub down

08-Jun-2016 By Oli Gross

A councillor has been suspended after pub door staff caught him on camera seemingly drunk, swearing and threatening to close the venue down – which he doesn’t have the power to do.

Legal Q&A

Advice on the licensing relaxation for the Queen's birthday

03-Jun-2016 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A includes information on the licensing relaxation for the Queen's birthday and the time between Temporary Event Notices.

Mandatory conditions

Legal advice: Small measures matter the most

03-Jun-2016 By Poppleston Allen

It has been more than a year and a half since the mandatory conditions attached to premises licences and club premises certificates were updated, making some changes to the availability of smaller measures of alcohol and customers’ awareness of such measures.

Pub's licence in question over stripper

31-May-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

Hereford pub the Queen's Arms have had their licence reviewed following police seeing photographs of a naked man inside the pub.

Advice

Legal Q&A: Don't lose out to fake cash and ID

20-May-2016 By Poppleston Allen

It is more than likely that, at some time or another, you or your staff will have been handed a bank note or piece of ID that doesn’t seem quite right.

Legal advice

Beware of the appeals 'lottery'

20-May-2016 By Poppleston Allen

We are now into the 11th year since ‘licensing reform’ and the old system is becoming a dot on the horizon; anyone involved in the industry for fewer than 10 years is likely to think a ‘transfer session’ means a football transfer window-inspired drinking...

Comment

Over the top public health agendas are counter-productive

18-May-2016 By Ed Bedington

We seem to be facing something of a temperance movement of late, and the proposed licensing moves in Camden are reinforcing that fear within the trade.

Licensing proposal

Fears pubs could become victims of council "public health creep"

18-May-2016 By Oli Gross

Proposed new licensing guidance from Camden council has led to fears that pubs will become victims of an unprecedented “health creep” resulting in operators increasingly responsible for the well-being of customers.

Licensing law

Legal Q&A: TENs and the '499' people rule

16-May-2016 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A includes information on complying with Temporary Event Notices - as well as negative 'vetting' of incidents that may cause a licence review.

Licencing law

“Western-style brawl” in Southampton pub - only weeks after closing due to fight

13-May-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

The Shield and Dagger risks closure following a mass brawl involving a member of staff, according to reports.

Legislation

Exclusive: Pubs Code Adjudicator reaches out to campaigners

03-May-2016 By James Evison

Meetings planned by the new Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) Paul Newby to include those who have campaigned against his employment - but they have denied his request.

Nottingham Late Night Levy raises £150,000 less than expected

28-Apr-2016 By Mike Berry

Nottingham City Council raised £150,000 less in the first year of its late-night levy than it originally estimated, new figures have revealed.

Late night sector

Night economy important 'but needs to be safe', government states

25-Apr-2016 By Ed Bedington

The night time economy is important but it needs to be safe and that requires working in partnership, according to the Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime Prevention.

Local authorities

Nightmare roadworks: Slammed council told to 'have a heart' after not compensating struggling pub

12-Apr-2016 By Oli Gross

A council has been slammed for not compensating a licensee who faces closure due to nightmare roadworks, after it emerged tram-line construction in the area resulted in other businesses being given financial support for loss of trade.

legislation

Licensing Act has led to massive growth in off-licences, report claims

08-Apr-2016 By Emily Sutherland

The 2003 Licensing Act has caused problems for police forces and led to a boom in the number of off-licenses, according to a new report from the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS).

Local authorities

Council roadworks 'nightmare' could cause pub closure

07-Apr-2016 By Oli Gross

An outraged licensee fears he is on the verge of having to close his pub because nightmare roadworks have devastated his trade.

Legal

Advice on noise impact ruling changes

04-Apr-2016 By Poppleston Allen

Readers will be aware of the recent announcement to amend Class O (changing offices to dwellings) of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, which will come into effect on 6 April 2016.

Legal Advice

Dealing with use of illegal drugs in your pub

04-Apr-2016 By Poppleston Allen

We have recently commented on the introduction of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, which comes into force later this year and introduces a number of offences relating to ‘legal highs’.

Rents

Licensees claim high rent demands make tenancy 'financially unrealistic'

21-Mar-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Licensees at a popular Portsmouth pub have announced its closure on social media after staying in their pub became 'financially unrealistic' due to higher rents and spiralling maintenance costs.

Licensing law

Cumulative impact policies: the fears over their use

21-Mar-2016 By Poppleston Allen

You may have recently read about the new so-called ‘Lockout Laws’ that are being imposed in the entertainment district of Sydney, Australia.

Burger King wins bid to sell alcohol at Waterloo station

21-Mar-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Burger King has won the right to serve alcohol at one of its branches for the first time according to the Mirror.

Legal advice

The game isn't over for pub bingo...yet

14-Mar-2016 By Poppleston Allen

During the past couple of years, there have been a number of articles in these pages on Greene King’s attempts to obtain an operating licence from the Gambling Commission, to allow them to provide commercial bingo in their pubs.

City news

Enterprise invests £11.5m in estate this year

14-Mar-2016 By MCA

Enterprise Inns has invested over £11.5m on upgrading its pub estate in the first few months of the company’s new financial year.

Crime

Pubco directors banned for failing to keep adequate books

09-Mar-2016 By Oli Gross

The directors of a pubco which racked up debts of £213,081 have been banned from the trade for eight years for failing to keep adequate books in the build-up to the company's liquidation.

Crime

Infamous Leeds pub could keep its licence despite mass brawls

08-Mar-2016 By Emily Sutherland

West Yorkshire Police have welcomed a range of changes at the infamous Aviator pub in Leeds, Yeadon, where a mass brawl involving glasses being used as weapons broke out earlier this year.

Legal

Make sure to switch safely to summer hours

07-Mar-2016 By Poppleston Allen

It is coming to that time of year again where the clocks move forward for British Summer Time (BST) and we will, effectively, lose an hour.

Legal

Advice on 'legal highs' in your pub

07-Mar-2016 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A focuses on so-called 'legal highs' and what to do if you discover them in your pub.

Advice

Legal Q&A on issues around a personal licence

29-Feb-2016 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A looks at the issues around producing personal licences to the authorities and expiry dates on current licences.

LNL

Tower Hamlets argues late-night levy is necessary to pay £330,000 police bill

29-Feb-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Tower Hamlets has become the latest London borough to consult on introducing a late-night levy.

Legal Advice

Expect a flurry of law changes to impact pubs

29-Feb-2016 By Jonathan Smith & Andy Grimsey

It looks as though the licensing world is about to see some important legal changes - many of which it could be argued are overdue.

Advice

Legal Q&A: Displaying cigars in a pub

22-Feb-2016 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A looks at displaying cigars in pubs and access to information through Freedom of Information requests.

Legal advice

'I've dealt with murder, gang-related violence & sexual offences...but flagrantly breaching fire safety appals me'

22-Feb-2016 By Poppleston Allen

In my years as a licensing lawyer I have dealt with many unpleasant and upsetting cases — murders, glassings, gang-related violence and very serious sexual offences committed on licensed premises.

Legal

Advice: Adhere to age check routine

22-Feb-2016 By Poppleston Allen

Now the busy Christmas period is out of the way, it is worth reminding your staff about their legal responsibilities in terms of selling alcohol to any person under the age of 18.

Legal advice

Know the details of your new pub before purchasing

12-Feb-2016 By Poppleston Allen

It is surprising how many operators still find themselves in difficulties when negotiating the acquisition of new premises to trade as a licensed venue.

Legal

Legal Q&A: Betting and gaming issues

12-Feb-2016 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A focuses on betting in pubs and information on gaming machines.

Poppleston Allen

Legal advice: Planning permission pitfalls

11-Feb-2016 By Jonathan Smith & Nick Arron

One of my clients called me recently and asked about what seemed like a simple temporary change to his operation.

Legal advice

Legal Q&A: Foolish whiskey move sees licence revoked

05-Feb-2016 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal advice focuses on what happens when your licence is revoked for buying drinks on which duty has not been paid.

Entertainment

Joint music licence from PPL and PRS for Music 'will end confusion'

02-Feb-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Music licensing bodies PRS for Music and PPL have confirmed they will launch a new company, offering a joint licence for businesses looking to get a public performance licence.

Late-night levy

Cheltenham late-night levy to be scrapped after scheme flops

01-Feb-2016 By Oli Gross

Cheltenham’s late-night levy is set to be scrapped after the scheme failed to raise the funds expected.

Licensing

'Sinister' cocaine-stuffed Kinder Eggs push pub close to licence loss

27-Jan-2016 By Oli Gross

A pub has been ordered to tighten security or risk losing its licence after police found cocaine-stuffed Kinder Eggs hidden in bins, bricks and down a man's trousers near the pub during a raid.

Wetherspoons

Late night levy: JDW to review last call time in Camden venues after council pushes ahead with levy

26-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Wetherspoons will consider whether to stop selling alcohol at midnight in its Camden venues after the borough pushed ahead with controversial plans to introduce a late-night levy (LNL.)

Legal advice: Unit pricing issue to return

26-Jan-2016 By Jonathan Smith, Poppleston Allen

The decision by the EU on minimum alcohol pricing has slipped under the radar. PMA legal experts Poppleston Allen provide a briefing.

Police

Birmingham pub loses licence after nearby murder of teenager

26-Jan-2016 By Oli Gross

A pub has lost its license after a teenager was murdered near the venue during an event which police had warned may attract armed gangs.

EMRO

Hartlepool pubs face proposal to restrict opening hours

25-Jan-2016 By Oli Gross

Pubs in Hartlepool are yet again facing a drive to restrict opening hours due to claims that alcohol misuse is having a devastating impact in the area.

Trade told: be on your guard against counterfeit alcohol or risk consequences

06-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Licensees have received fresh warnings to be on their guard against convincing counterfeit alcohol.

C-stores

Principles to protect viable pubs from Co-op developments

04-Jan-2016 By Oli Gross

Pubs sites being eyed up for the development of Co-op convenience stores are set to be protected by a set of principles which aim to safeguard viable pubs.