In England and Wales, any premises licensed to sell alcohol must name a Designated Premises Supervisor, and that person must hold a personal licence. Every sale of alcohol must be made or authorised by a personal licence holder, although they do not need to be physically present for each transaction, which is why written authorisations and clear training for other staff matter. Getting a personal licence involves passing an accredited qualification, passing a criminal record check and applying to the local authority where you live.
The DPS is usually the day-to-day manager and is the first point of contact for the police and licensing officers, so it is a genuine responsibility rather than a name on a form: they need to understand the licence conditions, keep refusal logs and training records, and be reachable when something goes wrong. Community premises such as village halls can apply to remove the DPS requirement. Changing the DPS requires a formal application.
What we ask on the show
- What does being a DPS really involve week to week?
- How do you train staff who sell alcohol under your authority?
- Should every bartender be encouraged to get a personal licence?
- What's the scariest call you've had as the named supervisor?