Understanding liquor licences

If you want to sell alcohol in your business, you must have a liquor licence. This requirement is part of the Licensing Act 2003 that made a number of major changes to the licensing laws in England and Wales. The most significant change that the Act brought to liquor licence laws was the introduction of the personal licence.

The personal licence was developed so that the liquor licence itself does not have to be attached to any given premises. This is to allow personnel to move from business to business without having to reapply for a liquor licence each time they change property.

In order to legally sell alcohol you will also need a premises licence which includes a liquor licence that gives details of what is called the ‘designated premises supervisor’ - they must also be the personal liquor licence holder. If you are unsure about the type of liquor licence you need, your Local Authority can help you. Alternatively, a solicitor will be familiar with all current licensing laws.

To obtain a liquor licence you will need to make an application to your Local Authority. They will have a committee that considers all new liquor licence applications. If your application is rejected, you can complain directly to the Local Authority.

And if you then do not obtain your liquor licence and think you have a strong case, you could take your Local Authority to court. If you do decide on this course of action the services of a solicitor will be essential. Never attempt to handle this type of case alone, as the law is highly complex in this area.

If you would like to obtain legal advice about alcohol licensing, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local specialist business law solicitor free of charge. So, if you have any questions or would like our help in finding local business law solicitors please call us on 0800 1777 162 or complete the web-form above.