The Licensing Act 2003 governs the sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment and late-night refreshment, meaning hot food and drink served between eleven at night and five in the morning, across England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate regimes with their own rules. Every licensing authority must promote four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. A premises licence sets out the permitted activities, hours and conditions, and those conditions are legally binding, so the operating schedule you submit with an application really matters.
Responsible authorities such as the police, environmental health and fire service, along with local residents and businesses, can make representations on applications and can ask for a review of an existing licence if problems arise. Temporary Event Notices cover one-off events. Breaching conditions or selling without authorisation can lead to prosecution, fines, closure orders or the loss of the licence.
What we ask on the show
- What do people misunderstand most about the four licensing objectives?
- How did you approach your operating schedule when applying?
- Have you ever faced a licence review, and what did you learn?
- Does the licensing system work fairly for small venues?