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Posts under ‘Licensing Act 2003’

Brighton Rocks while Bristol Screams: who is responsible after closing time?

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.

Airports and Alcohol

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.