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24/7 opening hours and licensing laws
The Licensing Act 2003 introduces new types of licence and changes the way alcohol licensing is controlled. The new licensing Act intends to increase, the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.
Liquor Licences
One major change is the new personal licence. Before alcohol can be supplied the person selling or supplying the alcohol must have a personal licence or be authorised to supply the alcohol by someone who holds a personal licence.
The following link(s) will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more about liquor licences.
Premises Licences
All premises used to supply alcohol will also need to be licensed. Applications need to include the applicants' details and those of the "designated premises supervisor"
, who must be a personal licence holder.
The designated premises supervisor is responsible for making sure the premises operate legally and meet any conditions attached to the licence. Applications need to include a detailed plan of the premises and an operating schedule. A premises licence will be required for one or more of the following activities:
- retail sale of alcohol
- supply of alcohol to or on behalf of a club or when ordered by a club member
- supply of hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am the following morning
- provision of entertainment for profit, including charity, where the entertainment involves:
- theatrical performance
- film exhibition
- indoor sporting event
- boxing or wrestling (indoor or outdoor)
- live music
- recorded music
- dance
- provision of facilities for making music
- provision of dancing facilities
Club premises certificates
These apply to members' clubs and are similar to premises licences. The main difference is that there is no need for a designated premises supervisor. This will be covered by the club's management committee.
The Act ends the standard 'permitted hours' of the sale of alcohol. This allows pubs, clubs, restaurants and similar places to apply for the hours that they believe best suits their needs.
An application for a premises licence or a change to a premises licence needs to be advertised in a local newspaper and by displaying a notice at the premises. Anyone living or having a business near the premises can contact their local authority to object to or support the application.
Anyone who didn't convert their old licence before 6th August 2005 will have to apply for a new one. Venues supplying alcohol, entertainments or hot meals between 11am and 5am who didn't get a premises licence by 24th November 2005 will have to stop trading.
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