John Gaunt & Partners licensing solicitors made the recommendation in light of the fact that that both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall on a Sunday when authorised trading hours may be more restricted.
Partner Tim Shield described this year’s festive season as a “double-edged sword”.
“Operators will have the benefit of Friday and Saturday trade before the big days, but there is a risk that, if a premises usually shuts earlier on a Sunday and the authorised hours are more restricted on Sundays, the premises licence may not cover extended hours for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve and this could lead to loss of a valuable revenue stream,” he told The Morning Advertiser.
Shield pointed out that there is still “plenty of opportunity” to apply for temporary event notices (TENs) to extend hours for this period.
“We at John Gaunt and Partners certainly recommend everyone to check the terms of their premises licence for Sundays now and, if necessary, lodge the necessary TENs sooner rather than later,” he added.
“If in doubt, contact us.”