Essential for trading, maintaining your premises licence also adds considerable value to a building. Measures to safeguard your licence can include simple administrative steps as well as formal applications to protect against events such as insolvency.
- Premises Licence & Premises Licence Summary
It is a statutory requirement that you ensure these documents are in place at all times.
- Know your conditions
Breach of a licence condition could cost up to £20,000 or 6 months imprisonment.
- Do you have a DPS?
Your licence must have the correct DPS appointed. No DPS = no sales of alcohol.
- Applying for a new Premises Licence
Notice of the application must be displayed at your site and in local press within 10 working days of submitting your application.
- Are all of your alcohol sales lawful?
Every sale of alcohol must be made or authorised by a personal licence holder.
- Reflect the plan of your premises
Check that your plan accurately reflects your current layout; any refurbishment may require you to apply to vary the licence seeking approval for your new layout plan.
- Be prepared for a review
The licensing committee have a wide discretion and power to impose extra conditions on your licence, change your hours of operation or remove a licensable activity.
- If the Premises Licence holder becomes insolvent
The Licence will lapse immediately on the insolvency of the Premises Licence holder and an interim authority notice should be sought or a transfer application made.
- Live music
The Live Music Act 2012 means that you no longer need a special licence to stage a live music performance if falling between certain hours and to an audience of less than 200.
- Know what you are getting
If you are acquiring a business on the assumption there is a suitable Premises Licence in place do check the current licence to ensure is it suitable for your proposed style of operation.
For more detail on each of these points, download a copy of our free guide
10 Practical tips to safeguard your premises licence
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