Alcohol licensing in the UK - do you know it all?

Is your dream business to own a pub?  From ultra-modern gastro pubs, to cosy inns with a fire burning in the corner, many see themselves as being the perfect landlords at the perfect pub, but getting to that point can often be time consuming and confusing.

Alcohol licensing can be confusing to the uninitiated, but don’t let that stop you at the first hurdle.  Flogas, who can help with business gas, have put together the following information as a good starting point for any potential publicans out there.  Read on to find out more:

The must-know facts

It’s an essential for any business that wants to sell or supply alcohol in England and Wales to own a licence. This is then authorised by the licensing authority – usually a local council. This legislation is overseen by the Home Office, and is defined is as follows:

1. Businesses that sell or supply alcohol on a permanent basis, such as pubs, need to apply for a premises licence.
2. Those who plan to authorise the sale of alcohol must apply for a personal licence, alongside the premises licence, if they are also the owner of the business in that premises.

There is a few you have to pay too, and in addition to this, you will have to complete an application form and send it to the local council. As well as the local authority, you will also have to send your application to the police and other responsible authorities; these responsible authorities can include:

• Local fire and rescue
• The primary care trust (PCT) or local health board (LHB)
• Environmental health authority
• Planning authority
• Local trading standards
• Any other licensing authority in whose area part of the premises is located.

Have you thought about your premises licence?

Once you own a premises licence, your premises (defined in the act as a vehicle, vessel, or moveable structure) is permitted to sell alcohol.

• General information regarding the premises such as the address.
• Your details as an applicant.
• The operating schedule, including the date you want the licence to start from on the premises.
• You should indicate what licensable activities you wish to carry out by ticking the appropriate boxes on the form. You should also indicate what days and times you want the licence to be active from. This also includes the provision of regulated entertainment, such as indoor sporting events, live music and recorded music.
• Under the new licensing laws, you should also stipulate who you wish to be the designated premises supervisor (DPS).
• The opening hours of your premises.
• How you intend to promote the four key licensing objectives, which are: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, the protection of children from harm.
• The planning of the premises and any advertising on or around the premises that you wish to use.

Do you need a personal licence?

The employees that work in your pub don’t need a personal licence. But all pubs do have to have a premises supervisor that holds a personal licence.

Are you going to be the owner of the premises licence? Then you should also apply to be the personal licence holder if the pub was your own business. Furthermore, anyone who works in a pub should be authorised to do so by the personal licence holder.

Always keep in mind before applying for this licence that it is to ensure that anyone running or managing a pub should do so in a professional fashion.

And that’s the basics! You’ve got everything you need to get started with your application in the hope that one day you’ll be pouring the pints in your own pub — cheers!