For many of us, running our own pub is a dream. From ultra-modern gastro pubs, to cosy rural inns with a log fire burning in the corner, the idea of owning the perfect pub and being its loveable landlord greatly appeals. However, making it a reality can often be time consuming and confusing.
Before you get to realise your dream, it’s important to get to grips with everything involving alcohol licensing and how it would affect you. So that you’re on the right path, Flogas, who offer commercial gas prices, take you through all the important information about this legislation.
The general rules
You must have a license if you want to sell or supply alcohol in England and Wales — it’s the law. This must be authorised by the licensing authority – usually a local council – and is overseen by the Home Office, and is defined is as follows:
1. Businesses that sell or supply alcohol on a permanent basis, such as pubs, must apply for a premises licence.
2. Those who plan to authorise the sale of alcohol must apply for a personal licence, alongside the premises licence, if they are also the owner of the business in that premises.
As well as paying a fee, it’s mandatory that you complete an application form and send it to the local council. As well as the local authority, you will also have to send your application to the police and other responsible authorities; these responsible authorities can include:
• The primary care trust (PCT) or local health board (LHB)
• Local fire and rescue
• Planning authority
• Local trading standards
• Environmental health authority
• Any other licensing authority in whose area part of the premises is located.
Premises licences
This is a licence which authorises the use of any premises for events or activities that involve selling alcohol. To be successful in this application, you will be asked a series of questions including the following:
• General information regarding the premises, including the address
• Your details as the applicant
• The proposed operating schedule, such as the date you wish to begin using the licence on the premises
• Due to new licensing laws, it’s important to stipulate who you wish to be the designated premises supervisor (DPS)
• You should indicate what licensable activities you wish to carry out by ticking the appropriate boxes on the form. You should also indicate what days and times you want the licence to be active from. This also includes the provision of regulated entertainment, such as indoor sporting events, live music and recorded music
• What hours you intend your premises to be open
• How you intend to promote the four key licensing objectives, which are: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, the protection of children from harm
• The planning of the premises and any advertising on or around the premises that you wish to use
Personal licences
While general staff in pubs aren’t required to hold a personal licence, every pub must have a premises supervisor that holds a personal licence.
If you were planning to be the owner of the premises licence, then you’d apply to be the personal licence holder if the pub was your own business. Furthermore, anyone who works in a pub should be authorised to do so by the personal licence holder.
It’s important to take into consideration that before you apply for the licence, you must ensure that whoever will be running the establishment does so in a professional manner.
With the information provided, you now have everything you require to start your application in the hope that maybe one day soon you’ll be behind the bar pulling pints in your own pub — cheers!
