How to Tell If a Premises Licence Is Active and What to Do If It’s Not?

If you want to sell alcohol in England and Wales, you must have a licence or other authorisation signed by a designated premises supervisor. The law and policy governing this area are overseen by the Home Office.

When you’re buying a pub, restaurant, or shop, it’s important to make sure that the premises licence is still active. If it’s not, you could run into some serious legal trouble. In this blog post, we’ll tell you what to do if the premises licences have lapsed and how to go about getting them reinstated. Stay safe and legal by following these simple steps!

How can you tell if a premises licence is active or not?

Checking Certificated with Licensing Authority:

The first step is that a premises licence holder must check the premises licence or club premises certificate with the local licensing authority. They will be able to tell you whether or not the premises in question have an active licence. You can find contact details for your local authority on the GOV.UK website.

Check the Condition of Premises Licences:

If the premises do have an active licence for the sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment, or any other licensable activity, you should check the conditions of that licence to make sure that you’re able to comply with them. If you’re not sure what the conditions are, you can ask the licensing authority or designated premises supervisor for a copy of the licence or look it up online (if it’s been published).

Apply for a Premises Licence:

If the premises don’t have an active licence, you’ll need to apply for a premises licence before any sale of alcohol. During the process, you need to provide details regarding licensing objectives and operating schedule to the licensing authority and other responsible authorities.

Hire A professional to become Personal Licence Holder:

The application process can be quite complex so it’s best to get some professional help if you’re not sure what you’re doing. A solicitor or licensing consultant will be able to guide you through the process and make sure that your application is successful.

Once you have an active licence, you must make sure that you comply with all of the conditions attached to it. If you breach any of the conditions, your licence could be revoked and you could face a fine or even imprisonment.

Make Changes in the Licence According to the Interested Parties:

If you want to change anything about your premises licences permanently (e.g. the hours during which alcohol can be sold), you’ll need to apply for a full variation of the licence from the licensing authority. This can be a complex process (almost identical to applying for a new licence) so again, it’s best to get some professional help.

Some smaller changes, like the change of name of DPS, can be done fairly quickly via minor variation form.

What are the consequences of operating a business without a valid premises licence?

If you operate a business without a valid premises licence, you could be fined up to unlimited fine and/or imprisoned for up to six months.

You may also be liable for any costs incurred by the licensing authority in taking enforcement action against you. In addition, your premises could be closed down and you could be banned from operating licensed premises in the future.

It’s therefore very important to make sure that you have a valid premises licence before you start selling or supplying alcohol.

If necessary, they can also help you apply for a new licence. Following these simple steps will help ensure that you stay on the right side of the law and avoid any penalties.

If you want to serve alcohol at your premises, you need to have a valid premises licence.

If you want toserve alcohol for a short period of time, such as at a private party or special event you may get it covered via TEN (Temporary Event Notice).

Conclusion:

If you’re looking to purchase a pub, restaurant, or shop that sells alcohol in England and Wales, it’s important to be aware of the law and policy governing this area. The Home Office is responsible for overseeing licensing and authorisations for businesses that wish to sell or supply alcohol.

Should you lose your personal licence, it’s important to report it to the police as soon as possible. Make sure you apply for a replacement to the licensing authority, who originally issued your licence.

Did this blog post answer all of your questions about pub licences and operating without one? If not, leave us a comment below and we’ll try our best to help you out!