Responsibility for outside bar

Q I run a village pub and have a regular who is the organiser for the local branch of a national charity.

He is running a bar this month at its main event and has asked me to supply the drink, glasses etc, and find bar staff.

He has obtained an occasional permission in the name of the charity.

Who is responsible for the licensing side of the event, his organisation or me?

AThe legal position is that it is your customer who holds the "licence" for the event, because the occasional permission that he has obtained is an authority for a named individual or individuals to sell liquor to members of the public, in the same way as a justices' licence authorises you to sell on your own premises.

He did not, in fact, obtain the occasional permission "in the name of the charity", although he will give details in court of the event and its purpose.

A permission has to be granted to the applicant, who then becomes responsible for it.

The fact that you hold a separate licence for your pub does not really affect the issue, except that if something goes wrong with the management of the bar at this event, and you are connected with it, the matter could be raised as something relevant to any objection to your licence.

The Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 contains a schedule of offences that may be committed by the holder of the occasional permission (your regular), which include sales to persons under 18 and allowing drunkenness or disorderly conduct.

It should be noted that weights and measures legislation will also apply to the "seller" of the drink in respect of measures for beer, cider and spirits, prices and notices, etc.

It would therefore make sense, if you are not to be directly responsible for the bar, to explain to your friend his responsibilities on this occasion.