Is your licence under review?

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When you have your Premises Licence is in place, although it lasts for the life time of the business, it is possible at any time for a review that you may experience.

We have a wide range of expertise in advising and representing our clients in relation to enforcement action and reviews of licensed premises.

Our clients receive clear, practical advice and assistance at a time when they are under the considerable pressure of a review or enforcement action.

The purpose of a review is to allow the responsible authorities such as the Police or Environmental Health or any other person whether they live or work near the premises or not to ask the Licensing Authority to review how the premises are operating where they feel that the licensing objectives are being undermined.

When you have your Premises Licence is in place, although it lasts for the life time of the business, it is possible at any time for a review that you may experience.

We have a wide range of expertise in advising and representing our clients in relation to enforcement action and reviews of licensed premises.

A premises licence can be reviewed if one or more of the conditions on your licence have been breached, or any of the 4 Licensing Objectives have been undermined.

This could be due to, for example:

  • A sale of alcohol taking place outside of the permitted hours.
  • A sale of alcohol made to a customer who is under 18 years of age.
  • A sale of alcohol made to a customer who is already intoxicated.
  • Or, one of more of the four Licensing Objectives have been breached.

They are:

  • The prevention of Crime and disorder
  • Public Safety
  • The Prevention of Public Nuisance
  • The Protection of Children from Harm

Whatever the reason, if the authorities, or the general public have just reason, they can apply for your licence to be reviewed.

If you have received notification that your licence is to be reviewed

There will follow a 28 day consultation period, (as per a new premises licence application), which allows any other authority, and the general public to wither support the review, or indeed make a positive representation for your business. The council will place a blue notice, on or near your premises which will remain in place for the full 28 days.

After the consultation period you will be invited to a review hearing in the council chambers where your application will be considered, and any of the above sanctions may be imposed.

What can happen at a Review?

Once a review has been started then there is a 28 days consultation period when a public notice has to be placed at the premises and other parties may join in. When the consultation period has expired, the Licensing Authority have to hold a hearing to determine the application and their powers a range of measures such as:

  • Temporary or permanent reduction in trading hours;
  • Temporary or permanent reduction in licensable activities;
  • Temporary or permanent modification of other conditions attached to the licence or club premises certificate;
  • Removal of designated premises supervisor from the licence; and/or
  • The ultimate sanction of a review is your premises licence could be revoked, meaning you can no longer legally sell alcohol from your premises. Now clearly if you run an on-sale establishment such as a pub or a club, then this will mean the end of your business. A pub that cannot sell alcohol does not have much of a future.

How we can help

We can assist the premises licence holder to prepare for the review and support to minimise the impact of such a review on your business.

Alternatively, call us on 07747 778899 or complete the free enquiry form below for a more in-depth discussion of your needs.

Free Online Enquiry

Any additional information could be written here

Please upload any documents you may have received from your local authority or police

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