Alcohol License

[Hoggie]

I hope you can help me. How easy is it to get a alcohol license to sell alcohol in a hall. My friend thinks that he can just apply at the local council buildings and get the license that day, Me, i think it will be much harder to get it. What you you think folks??

Ta H

[seatrout]

All licensing matters now come under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003. If this a one off event your friend will need a temporary event licence. He will need to apply in advance for the licence you cannot just expect to get one on the day. As you are dealing with a local authority I would suggest that the sooner you make the application the better

[loonytunes]

You do not need a licence at all, you need to provide a Temporary Event NOTICE. This means you have the right to have an event and provide licensable activities, including the sale of alcohol, without permission. However, you must provide two notices at least 10 WORKING DAYS before the event (not counting the day the notice is given or the day the event is held). One notice goes to the police and the other goies to the local authority. The LA will acknowledge receipt of the notice and, unless the police raise an objection on crime and disorder grounds within 48 hours, you can go ahead. If they do, the matter goes to a hearing where the objection will be considered together with whatever you have to say. You will then get a decision. If your receive a counter notice following the hearing, or because the number of such events at the premises concerned exceeds the maximum allowed (12 in a year/15 days in a year) the sales will be illegal and the pubishment is quite severe. However, if you don't receive a counter notice, you may go ahead and your receipted notice counts as your authority to make the sales. This will cost �21. Check your council's website for a downloadable form as many publish them in this way togther with full instructions on what to do.

[Buenchico]

The form for a TEN is here:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/5B3ADA1 A-4BC3-4755-85A7-6DCA1129A51B/0/P_TENupdate110 5.pdf

Print it out, complete it and make 3 copies. Keep one copy for reference. Send one copy to the Chief Constable. Send the original, with one copy and a �21 fee to your local authority's licensing officer. (If you don't live in an area controlled by a unitary authority, it's the county council you need to contact, not the district or borough council).

In addition to the number of restrictions placed on specific premise, as referred to in Loonytunes post, it should also be noted that no individual can submit more than 5 TEN applications per year. (The only exception is for personal licence holders, who can submit up to 50 applications per year).

Further information is here:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/Alcohol_e ntertainment/licensing_act_2003_explained/perm itted_temporary_activities.htm

Chris

[loonytunes]

Chris, I believe you are wrong, rare but true. County Councils are not involved in licensing.