Premises Licensing Applications
Help with your Premises License Applications
The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 6 February 2005. It made changes to the licensing arrangements for the sale of alcohol and the provision of entertainment.
In order for a business to sell alcohol, it requires a premises license. This cannot be avoided and can be a financial burden which hampers the business in its early days.
You will need to apply for a Premises License if you intend to sell alcohol or provide ‘licensable activities’ from a particular venue.
Licensable activities include:
- Selling alcohol
- Serving hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am (known as late night refreshment)
You’ll also need a license if you provide the following types of entertainment:
- Theatrical performance
- Showing a film
- Indoor sporting event
- Boxing or wrestling (indoor or outdoor)
- Live music
- Recorded music
- Dance
- Facilities for making music
- Dancing facilities
You still need a license even if the activities are for charity.
An ever-increasing number of start-up businesses are popping up across the country, with numbers of bars arriving on almost a daily basis.
As some businesses wish to simply test the water (or trade earlier than a full premises license application would allow) the option of a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) is often a useful alternative.
A TEN can be given for part of a building, such as a single room, or a plot within a larger area of land. The premises user should provide a clear description of the area in which he or she proposes to carry on licensable activities. A plan of the premises may be included to help define the area covered by the TEN (for example, if using a small area of a public park, or one room in a building). This is important as any licensable activities conducted outside the area of the premises authorised by the TEN would be unlawful and could lead to prosecution.
A TEN can authorise licensable activities on unlicensed premises for a limited period of time.
Fire Risk Consultancy Services can offer:
- Pre-application advice and assistance
- Provide a Fire Risk Assessment, including occupancy numbers, to satisfy conditions of License
- Advice on appropriate conditions (Public Safety)
- Advice on drawing up plans to accompany the application in accordance with the relevant regulations
- On-site visit(s) to ensure plans are compliant with prescribed regulations