Licensing Law

Police get new powers to close 'problem pubs'

20-Oct-2014 By Mike Berry

New powers have come into force which make it easier for police and local authorities to force a pub to shut immediately and restrict access to the premises.

Legal Q&A: Nudity, noise and measuring down

16-Oct-2014 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A features issues to do with 'regulated entertainment' and nudity, noise abatement notices and if you are required to have smaller glasses.

Drinks promotions: top legal tips

16-Oct-2014 By Poppleston Allen

In this top tips series we continue our analysis of the practical implications of the changes to the mandatory conditions on premises licence as a result of the Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) (Amendment) Order 2014. This week we look...

Legal advice: combating cumulative impact

15-Oct-2014 By Poppleston Allen

The words ‘cumulative impact’ can strike fear into the hearts of operators across the land, particularly if they appear at a time when you are looking to start a new business or extend your hours. Those two little words instantly prompt thoughts of applications...

Publicans reminded they will need to give allergens advice for drinks

15-Oct-2014 By James Wallin

Many publicans are still unaware that beer and wine will be covered by the new allergen laws, which come into force in less than two months.

Legal Q&A: Recruiting 16 year olds & personal licence issues

10-Oct-2014 By Poppleston Allen

Legal writers Jonathan Smith & Graeme Cushion from Poppleston Allen answer questions on when you need to be on a premises as a personal licence holder, and recruiting sixteen year olds.

Make Some Noise: Publican who spent £12k to limit noise escapes 'inaudibility' licence condition

08-Oct-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A licensee, who spent £12,000 in an effort to limit noise disturbance from her pub, has escaped an ‘inaudibility’ condition on her licence, after battling through her second licence review hearing.

Make Some Noise: Licence review victory after council failed to soundproof flats

07-Oct-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A Manchester music venue has won a licence review after claiming the council made “severe errors” in failing to install soundproofing in a neighbouring residential flat.

Ten licensing law issues to teach your staff

06-Oct-2014 By Poppleston Allen

It is good practice to provide training in licensing for when you are absent - here are 10 tips on the main areas of law that your staff should have some knowledge of.

Mandatory Licensing Conditions: what the new rules mean

01-Oct-2014 By Poppleston Allen

The new Mandatory Licensing Conditions that came into effect today (1 October) will tighten up existing conditions that have been in force on all “on-trade” premises licences and club premises certificates since 2010.

JD Wetherspoon faces fight in reducing pub's hours to avoid late-night levy

01-Oct-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Nottinghamshire Police has objected to an application from JD Wetherspoon (JDW) to reduce one of its pub’s hours to avoid paying a late-night levy, on the grounds of “crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance”.

Make Some Noise: publican who spent £12k to limit noise faces second licence review

29-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A licensee, who has spent £12,000 in an effort to limit noise from her pub, has called for support ahead of a second licence review hearing.

ACPO licensing lead says on-trade not doing enough to tackle binge drinking

19-Sep-2014 By James Wallin

The Association of Chief Police Officers’ lead on licensing has said efforts by the on-trade to tackle alcohol misuse have “barely scratched the surface” of the problem.

Kerridge urges caterers to see new allergen legislation as a positive

19-Sep-2014 By Jo Bruce

Top chef Tom Kerridge says caterers should view the forthcoming allergen legislation as a positive opportunity to improve customer experience.

Southampton City Council approves late-night levy

18-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Southampton City Council is the seventh local authority to rubber-stamp proposals for a late-night levy.

Home Office advises councils to use hospital data in licence reviews

18-Sep-2014 By James Wallin

The Government is set to advise councils to include data such as A&E admissions and complaints about sleep deprivation or light pollution as evidence in licence reviews, the Publican’s Morning Advertiser understands.

Legal guide: Staff tattoos

17-Sep-2014 By Charles Russell

Employees who have tattoos cannot be treated differently or face disciplinary action just for having body markings. This guide from law firm Charles Russell aims to help operators know where they stand.

Southampton licensing committee recommends late-night levy

11-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Southampton is one step closer to implementing a late-night levy, after the council’s licensing committee today voted in favour of adopting the fee.

Research claims food allergies now affect one third of UK households

04-Sep-2014 By Elliot Kuruvita

One third of UK households are now affected by food allergy or intolerance according to new research by YouGov.

Penalised for being top of the class

04-Sep-2014 By Mike Berry

When was the last time you were penalised for being at the top of the class? Well, that is exactly what appears to be in store for licensees who obtained their personal licences in the early months of 2005, when licence reform in England and Wales was...

'Forensic data' not needed to justify late-night levy, Southampton claims

04-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Southampton City Council has claimed it does not need to provide “forensic data” outlining the specific costs of policing the night-time economy in order to justify the introduction of a late-night levy (LNL).

Foodservice wholesaler warns of potential food allergen legislation loophole

01-Sep-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

A leading foodservice wholesaler has warned of a grey area concerning the new food allergen requirements that come into force at the end of the year.

Alcohol-related crime has dropped 32% in past decade

01-Sep-2014 By John Harrington, M&C Report

The public and police see local partnership schemes as key to cutting rates of alcohol-related crime that have fallen significantly in recent years, new research shows.

Greater Manchester to review licensing powers under new alcohol strategy

29-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Councils, health services, and police in Greater Manchester have officially teamed up to tackle alcohol abuse under a new strategy that includes the review of licensing powers.

Scottish Licensed Trade Association appoints new chairman

28-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Donald Campbell, sales director at wine and spirits merchants Inverarity Morton, has been announced as the new chairman of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA).

Manchester proposes licensing powers review to reduce £1.2bn alcohol bill

22-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs in Greater Manchester could face a crackdown on licensing from police and councils, following a new report that reveals excessive drinking costs the region £1.2bn each year.

Allergen law

Top tips for dealing with the new allergen laws

15-Aug-2014 By Elliot Kuruvita

The deadline to comply with the new allergen laws is now less than four months away but few publicans have even begun to plan. Elliot Kuruvita looks at ideas to help licensees stay on the right side of the law

Licensed Trade Charity reports spike in calls for help

14-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

The Licensed Trade Charity says requests for home visits and assessments have hit an all-time high.

Controversial ‘free bar’ Innsatiable granted premises licence

13-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Innsatiable, the controversial Surrey “furniture shop” that gave away beer, has been granted a premises licence.

Cornwall Council to explore single business licence idea

08-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Cornwall Council has been issued a Government grant in order to explore the possibility of creating a single business licence.

Met police launches team targeting West End night-time economy

07-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

City of Westminster police and London Mayor Boris Johnson have launched a new team of officers to tackle violence and crime in the West End’s night-time economy.

Fears Government delay could lead to publicans losing their licences

06-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

Publicans are being urged to ensure that their personal licences are up to date after the Home Office admitted that future legislation to abolish renewals may not be enacted until next March/April.

New allergen legislation comes into force in key trading time

04-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

New EU rules due to come into force in the middle of the Christmas rush will mean publicans facing unlimited fines for failing to warn customers about possible allergens in their food.

New allergen rules will carry unlimited fines

01-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

Pubs that fail to warn customers about any possible allergens in their food could face an unlimited fine, under new EU rules.

EMRO and lnl should only be last resorts, ALMR tells Government

31-Jul-2014 By James Wallin

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has demanded that late-night levies and Early Morning Restriction Orders are only used as a “last resort”.

Allergen 'how to' guide launched for pubs

28-Jul-2014 By Elliot Kuruvita

Foodservice supplier Unilever Food Solutions has launched a guide to help pub caterers prepare for the new allergen legislation being introduced in December.

Liverpool to consult on late-night levy while Islington announces implementation date

24-Jul-2014 By James Wallin

Liverpool City Council’s licensing committee has granted a consultation on implementing a late-night levy.

Half of publicans unaware of new allergen law

24-Jul-2014 By Elliot Kuruvita

A new report claims that half of publicans are unaware of the new allergen law that comes into force in December.

Chelmsford levy approval could give other councils the green light

24-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Chelmsford’s late-night levy approval could give other small towns and cities the green light to follow suit, licensing lawyers have warned.

Legal Q&A: New flexible working rights

22-Jul-2014 By Jane Cox

The Government recently extended the right to request flexible working to all employees with 26 weeks service. This has caused concern amongst employers in the licensed retail sector, who fear that they will be faced with a significant increase in requests....

Chelmsford City Council approves late-night levy

17-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Chelmsford City Council is the latest authority to rubber-stamp proposals for a late-night levy.

Weymouth rejects late-night levy and EMRO

17-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Weymouth has rejected the idea of consulting on an early morning restriction order or a late-night levy, due to concerns over ‘the terminal hour’ and the financial implications on businesses.

Warrington publicans criticise 'back door' EMRO moves

17-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Warrington licensees have accused council and police officers of attempting to bring in an early morning restriction order (EMRO) “through the back door”, after the measure was rejected last year.

Legal guide: Employing young people

14-Jul-2014 By Poppleston Allen

Soon children will be breaking up from school with an opportunity for the more entrepreneurial to earn some extra pocket money collecting glasses or working in the local pub. With the employment of children highly regulatory, Poppleston Allen runs through...

Nottingham approves late-night levy

14-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Nottingham City Council is the fifth local authority to approve a late-night levy.

Morning Advertiser Jobs: The new online job board for the licensed trade

11-Jul-2014 By Mike Berry

The Publican’s Morning Advertiser has launched a new online platform with everything you need to know about jobs in the pub trade.

Gov't consultation supports relaxing live music licensing laws for pubs

09-Jul-2014 By Ruth Williams

Cutting the “red tape” associated with playing live and recorded music at pubs and community events could encourage more tourism and hospitality businesses to offer live music, creating important new revenue streams.

Chelmsford publicans hit out at 'farcical' late-night levy consultation

09-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Chelmsford operators have hit out at the “underhand” and “farcical” use of figures by the local council and police during its late-night levy consultation.

JD Wetherspoon to vary pub licences in late-night levy protest

08-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has pledged to vary the licences of its pubs hit by late-night levies as part of new company policy in protest at the legislation.

A drink to your good health

08-Jul-2014 By Poppleston Allen

The recent announcement of Lord Brooke’s Private Members Bill “to make provision for the addition of the public health objective to the Licensing Act 2003” shows that there is still a school of thought which sees the licensing process as a means of controlling...