Aug 19th, 2011
by Maria Guida.
As licensing lawyers, we often hear licensee clients say that once their customers leave their pub or nightclub, they are not responsible for their patrons’ actions. If these customers then go on to cause disorder, shouldn’t it be down to the police to control them?
This argument (often used by licensees) that they are not responsible for what their customers get up to after they have left their premises has been put to rest by two recent cases, one involving a supermarket in Brighton and the other, a nightclub in Bristol.
This is a preview of
Brighton Rocks while Bristol Screams: who is responsible after closing time?
.
Read the full post (1026 words, 3 images, estimated 4:06 mins reading time)
Posted in: Alcohol, Binge Drinking, Cumulative impact, Licensing Act 2003, Local Licensing Policy, Off Licence, Politics, Pubs.
May 12th, 2011
by Maria Guida.
LONDON BOROUGH OF CAMDEN LICENSING EMBRACES TECHNOLOGY
Many local authorities already allow pub, restaurant and other licensed business owners to apply online for licences. Now Camden Council have taken this a step further and have stopped sending consultation letters out to residents who live near to premises whichnis the subject of a licensing application. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Posted in: Alcohol, Camden licensing, Licensing consultation, Uncategorized.
Tagged: Camden LIcensing
Jan 20th, 2011
by Maria Guida.
Music to my Ears – Playing Music in the Workplace
Confused about what type of licence you need to play music in your shop, office, factory or other work place, not to mention restaurants and bars? You’re not alone. Here, we explain when it is necessary to obtain (and pay for) a licence from the Performing Rights Society (PRS for Music) and Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL).
Many bars, restaurants and retail stores play recorded music as part of the theme of the premises or as an attempt to create a specific atmosphere and ambience for their customers. Some offices and many factories and workshops, allow the use of radios or background music for their staff to listen to while they work.
Posted in: Christmas Party, Live Music, PPL, PRS, Uncategorized.
Nov 30th, 2010
by Maria Guida.
Temporary Event Notice (TEN)
You don’t need reminding but Christmas is fast approaching. Now is a good time to check your Premises Licence and to make sure that it covers both:
o The hours you wish to open and
o The licensable activities that you want to run over the Christmas and New Year period.
Temporary Event Notices can be used to:
o add required licensable activities or
o to extend the hours that can be provided, or
o for licensable activities on unlicensed premises.
Posted in: Alcohol, Christmas Party, New Year Party, TEN, Temporary Event Notice.
Tagged: TEN; TENs; temporary event notice; temporary events notices; timetable for TEN applications; timetable temporary events notice;
Oct 20th, 2010
by Maria Guida.
With the half term school holiday nearly at an end now, many of you will be returning from having hopped on a plane to enjoy some sun. Did you know that any airside venue at an international airport, selling an alcoholic drink to a person, who is already drunk, cannot be prosecuted (even for this most obvious breach of the licensing laws)?
This is because such venues enjoy immunity from the Licensing Act. Sussex Police recently carried out a “test purchasing” spree at Gatwick Airport and uncovered some sales to underage drinkers. Sadly for them, due to the fact that any bar, restaurant or pub selling alcohol on the airside of International Airports in England and Wales do not need a premises licence, they were unable to prosecute. Now Sussex Police are lobbying for change.
Posted in: Airports, Alcohol, Binge Drinking, Licensing Act 2003, Pubs.
Tagged: Alcohol · Binge Drinking · british beer and pub association; british hospitality association; licenced trade; pubs; clubs; hotels; bars; cafes; music; ppl; phonographic performance limited; recorded music; music licence tariffs · cheap drinks promotions · cumulative impact; alcohol fuelled crime · Licensing Act consultation · wine
Sep 20th, 2010
by Maria Guida.
Every local authority has a licensing policy which sets out the manner in which licensing applications for the sale and supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and the provision of late night refreshment are considered. Whilst this policy must be reviewed every three years, each local authority is also required to keep its policy under review within this period and make such revisions, as it considers appropriate.
The current policies will be revised to reflect changing circumstances and any relevant concerns and comments received. The new policies will continue to focus upon promoting the four statutory Licensing Objectives:
Posted in: Alcohol, City Of London Licensing, Cumulative impact, Hoxton, Hoxton Licensing, Licensing Act consultation, Local Licensing Policy, Pubs, Rebalancing the Licensing Act, Shoreditch, Tower Hamlets, Uncategorized.
Tagged: 2011 Licensing Review · City of London Licensing · Hoxton · Hoxton Licensing · Licensing Policy Review · Local Licensing · Shoreditch Licensing · Tower Hamlets Licensing
Sep 20th, 2010
by Maria Guida.
Following on from my last blog, All Change Again: Rebalancing The Licensing Act you might be concerned about when the Home Office is bringing in the changes to the Licensing Act? Don’t be (not just yet, anyway).
The Home Office recently confirmed that any proposed changes to the Licensing Act would not be brought into force until 2012. Just to recap, the proposals include:
- Overhauling the Licensing Act to give local authorities and the police much stronger powers to remove licences from, or refuse to grant licences to premises that are causing problems
Posted in: Alcohol, City Of London Licensing, Cumulative impact, Hoxton, Hoxton Licensing, Licensing Act consultation, Local Licensing Policy, Rebalancing the Licensing Act, Shoreditch, Tower Hamlets.
Tagged: Licensing Act 2003 · Licensing Act consultation · licensing law · Licensing Policy Review · Rebalancing the Licensing Act
Jul 28th, 2010
by Maria Guida.
Theresa May, the Home Secretary has published a consultation paper today entitled, “Rebalancing the Licensing Act.” The consultation paper starts positvely, acknowledging licensed premises working with the police to reduce alcohol related harm and mentioning the acheivements of Business Improvement Districts and Best Bar None, but it then goes on to make suggestions for improving the licensing system, which will make most licensees’ toes curl.
The Licensing Act 2003 was consulted upon and took around five years to come into force. For this latest consultation, the response deadline is 8th September 2010 and the intention appears to be to legislate as soon as possible using the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Bill, which will be produced later this year.
Posted in: Alcohol, Binge Drinking, Cumulative impact, Early morning drinking ban, Early morning drinking restrictions, Licensing Act consultation, Politics, Pubs, Rebalancing the Licensing Act, Uncategorized.
Tagged: Licensing Act consultation · Rebalancing the Licensing Act
Jun 1st, 2010
by Maria Guida.
New rules come in today requiring that all new door staff at bars and clubs must learn how to safely restrain and remove customers who have had one too many and are violent and drunk. For all existing door staff – no training is required. However, this too is coming under scrutiny and before long we could see such training becoming compulsory for all bouncers.
The mandatory training has been introduced after a number of high profile deaths and injuries in bars and nightclubs.
Posted in: Alcohol, Binge Drinking, Door staff, Lap Dancing, Politics, Pubs, SIA, Uncategorized.
Jun 1st, 2010
by Maria Guida.
 |
Despite relaxing licensing hours five years ago, Labour had already given in to pressure from all directions over the Licensing Act. Gordon Brown had admitted that the Act was only a qualified success and had already given councils the power to restrict the early morning opening hours of every licensed venue in a problem area. |
The Conservatives have promised to “overhaul” the Licensing Act, based on their belief that the relaxation of the laws has been a failure. Before the election, the Tories said that they planned to give councils the power to charge more for late-night licences to pay for extra policing, and also to give the authorities ‘much stronger powers’. |
Posted in: Alcohol, Binge Drinking, Cumulative impact, Dispersal order, Early morning drinking ban, Early morning drinking restrictions, Lap Dancing, Live Music, Politics, Pubs, Uncategorized.
