License

Barcadia, Kingston,

Kingston's Barcadia has licence revoked

By Emily Sutherland

Kingston council’s licensing sub-committee has voted to revoke the licence of Barcadia, describing it has a ‘focal point for antisocial and criminal behaviour.’

Full analysis of the Cheltenham late-night levy revelations

News focus

Full analysis of the Cheltenham late-night levy revelations

By Michelle Perrett

Cheltenham was the second council in the UK to introduce a late-night levy (LNL) in April 2014. A year on, the PMA’s legal specialist Poppleston Allen made a Freedom of Information request to assess its impact on pubs and other licensed venues. Michelle...

Can you have a beer garden without a licence?

Legal

Can you have a beer garden without a licence?

By Poppleston Allen

Summer is fast approaching and the forecasters are predicting a three-month heatwave, so now is the time to put those green fingers to good use and get your beer garden looking great in time for what the less cynical among us hope will be a summer of...

JDW wins late night levy appeal

Licensing

JDW wins late night levy appeal

By Ellie Bothwell

JD Wetherspoon has won an appeal against Newcastle City Council’s refusal to allow the company to vary three of its pubs’ hours to avoid paying a late-night levy.

Tories pledge to freeze licence cost

General election

Tories pledge to freeze licence cost

By Helen Gilbert

The Conservative Party has vowed to freeze the cost of a premises licence should it win the next election, the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) has learned.

Advice: Timescales clearer on deregulations

Legal advice

Advice: Timescales clearer on deregulations

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.

Running A Pub: Trading up

Running a pub

Running A Pub: Trading up

By Glynn Davis

In the second of our series on the challenges of running a pub, Glynn Davis looks at the practicalities of taking those first steps in expanding your horizons by running a large premises or more than one outlet.

FLVA calls for pubs code helpline

FLVA calls for pubs code helpline

By Ellie Bothwell

The Federation of Licensed Victuallers Association (FLVA) is calling on the Government to introduce an industry helpline to provide support to licensees on the changes laid out in the statutory pubs code.

BII launches annual awards

BII launches annual awards

By Ellie Bothwell

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has started its search for the top people in the hospitality sector with the launch of five industry awards.

Roy Boulter: Chairman, Licensed Trade Charity

News profile

Roy Boulter: Chairman, Licensed Trade Charity

By Ellie Bothwell

The Licensed Trade Charity does a lot more than offer financial help to those in or retired from the business. Ellie Bothwell finds out more about its work from chairman Roy Boulter

Legal comment: Year of deregulation awaits

Legal comment: Year of deregulation awaits

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

Warrington publicans 'too scared' to call the police

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.

Derbyshire police defend pub drugs crackdown

Derbyshire police defend pub drugs crackdown

By Naomi Larsson

A police crackdown on drug use in Derbyshire pubs before Christmas took place because of “anecdotal evidence” that customers might mix alcohol with drugs on a night out.

Food regs

Licensing changes never end

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.

Home Office issues guidance on personal licence renewals

Home Office issues guidance on personal licence renewals

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.

Drugs

Legal advice: Dealing with drugs

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.

Greene King

Pub bingo: The legal issues

By Poppleston Allen

You may remember back in May 2014 our article about the potential for licensed bingo in pubs.