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Alcohol Licensing

Introduction

You’ll need a premises licence if you’re going to supply alcohol.

You could go to prison if you haven’t got a premises licence when you need one.

You may also need to:

  • nominate someone who has a personal licence to act as the designated premises supervisor (DPS), which is responsible for supervising the sale of alcohol
  • make sure that anyone supply alcohol has a personal licence

If you’re applying as a community premises, you may apply to have the sale of alcohol supervised by the management committee, instead of a DPS.

To apply, you’ll need to be 18 or older. You’ll also need to be entitled to work in the UK, if you’re a charity.

Door supervision

We may add a condition to your licence which states that you must provide door supervision. Each door supervisor must be authorised to carry out the supervision under either the Private Security Industry Act 2001 or section 4 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.

Duration

A premises licence lasts until it:

  • is revoked
  • expires (if it’s only effective for a specified time)

Your premises licence will lapse:

  • when you die or lack capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, enter into a voluntary arrangement or trust deed, become bankrupt or when someone takes legal possession of your estate
  • if the company enters into a voluntary arrangement, appoints administrators, an administrative receiver or goes into liquidation
  • if it belongs to a club and that club is no longer a a recognised club
  • if it authorises the sale of alcohol or the provision of late night refreshment and the licence holder isn’t entitled to work in the UK
  • if you surrender it

Fee

You must  pay:

  • a fee to apply for a premises licence
  • an annual administration fee for your premises licence

If you don’t pay your annual fee, we may suspend your licence.

The fee you’ll pay will depend on the rateable value of your premises.

Displaying your licence

You must display your premises licence where your customers can see it. If you don’t, you could receive a fine.

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