Alcohol Licensing Basics

The premises licence is the main authorisation for a permanent venue wishing to carry out licensable activities on a regular basis. It is attached to the premises, not the operator — if the business changes hands, the licence can be transferred. For one-off or occasional events, a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) can be used instead — a TEN allows licensable activities at a premises for up to 168 hours (7 days), and each premises can hold up to 15 TENs per year.

Any individual who acts as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) must hold a personal licence. A personal licence is granted by the local authority based on proof of age (18+), a Licensing Act qualification (usually the Award for Personal Licence Holders — APLH), and a DBS check. The DPS does not need to be present at all times, but they are responsible for authorising the sale of alcohol at the premises. Any member of staff authorised to sell alcohol must be either a personal licence holder or authorised by the DPS.

A premises licence application is submitted to the local authority licensing authority. The application must include: a plan of the premises; an operating schedule setting out the proposed licensable activities, opening hours, and steps to promote the four licensing objectives; and (if alcohol is included) the name of the proposed DPS. A fee is payable based on the rateable value of the premises.

The application must be advertised by displaying a notice at the premises and publishing a notice in a local newspaper for 28 days. Responsible authorities (the police, fire authority, environmental health, and others) and local residents can make representations against the application during this consultation period. If no representations are received, the licence must be granted as applied for. If representations are received, a hearing before the licensing committee is held — the committee can grant, modify, or refuse the application. Grant is the norm where the applicant has engaged proactively with responsible authorities and addressed their concerns before the hearing.

Every premises licence comes with mandatory conditions set by the Licensing Act (for example, the requirement to display the DRINKaware logo and Challenge 25 signage) and conditions specific to the premises agreed at the time of grant. Common conditions include: CCTV requirements; SIA-licensed door staff after certain hours; restrictions on the type of entertainment or glassware; Challenge 25 age verification policies; and noise management measures.

Responsible authorities and local residents can apply to the licensing authority to review a premises licence if they have concerns about how the licensing objectives are being promoted. A review can result in the imposition of additional conditions, a suspension, or revocation. Even a single serious incident — a violent incident, drug dealing, or evidence of underage sales — can trigger a review and serious consequences. Licence holders should maintain an incident log, train staff regularly on age verification, and keep their Challenge 25 policy current and documented.

Local authorities can designate a Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) — formerly called a Special Policy Area — where the high concentration of licensed premises is causing problems of crime and disorder, public nuisance, or public safety. In a CIZ, the licensing authority applies a rebuttable presumption against granting new licences or significant variations to existing ones. If you want to open a new venue or significantly expand an existing one in a CIZ, you face a substantially higher evidential burden. Check with the licensing authority whether your target premises is in a CIZ before investing in site development.

The late-night levy is a discretionary power for local authorities to charge a financial contribution from premises licensed to sell alcohol after midnight. The levy applies in specific geographical areas designated by the authority. Proceeds are shared between the council and the local police. If a late-night levy is in force in your area, budget for it as part of ongoing operating costs — failure to pay when required can result in licensing consequences as well as debt enforcement.

From a day-to-day compliance perspective, licence holders should maintain: an up-to-date incident log recording all incidents at or near the premises (date, time, nature, action taken); DPS training records and Challenge 25 policy documents; CCTV maintenance logs (if CCTV is a licence condition, proving it was working is essential in any licensing review); and records of door supervisor checks (name, SIA badge number) on nights when SIA staff are required by condition. Responsible authorities — particularly the police — may request these records at any time. Having them ready demonstrates compliance proactively and significantly reduces the risk of a licence review or prosecution.