However the number of premises licensed for on-sales of alcohol only was down 4% to 37,700 in 2014, while the off-sales figure was down 3% to 52,400.
The figures are in a Home Office report, which also shows there are currently 15,400 club premises certificates in force – 2% down on last year and 11% down on 2009.
The report says 4% of the 9,638 premises licences submitted last year were refused. During the same period there were 5,190 applications for change of use, of which 4,738 were granted, 169 refused and the outcome unknown for a further 283.
There were 581,000 personal licences in force on 31 March, 6% more than the previous year and 48% up on five years ago.
There are now 87,700 licences with late night refreshment, an increase of 1% on last year and 7% on 2009. They make up 43% of the total premises licences.
In the reporting year there were 800 licensing reviews, 11% down on the previous year and 27% fewer than 2009.
Cumulative Impact Areas
A CIA is an area that the LA has identified in their licensing policy statement as having a saturation of licensed premises and the ‘cumulative impact’ of any additional licensed premises could affect the licensing objectives.
There were 208 cumulative impact areas in place on 31 March 2014.
Temporary Event Notices
TENs are used to authorise certain relatively small-scale events involving licensable activities, subject to certain criteria and limits. Late TENs allow users to give their notices five days ahead of the start of the temporary event period rather than the usual 10 days.
There were 132,200 TENs used in the year to 31 March 2014, 5% (-7,100) fewer than in the previous year, but 8% (10,100) more than in the year to 31 March 2009.
Early Morning Restriction Orders
EMROs enable LAs to prohibit the sale of alcohol for a specified time period between midnight and 6am in the whole or a part of their area. As at 31 March 2014, there were no EMROs in place.
Late night levies
Late night levies allow LAs to raise a contribution from late-opening alcohol suppliers towards policing the night-time economy. Late night levies must cover the entire area of a licensing authority and apply for a specified period between midnight and 6am.
As at 31 March 2014, Newcastle-upon-Tyne was the sole LA to have a late night levy in place. The amount raised by the levy was £300,000.