Bespoke Services

These are issued by the Local Authority (as Licensing Authority) and cover the sale of alcohol, the supply of alcohol in a qualifying club, the provision of regulated entertainment and the provision of late night refreshment and are required by all premises intending to carry out a licensable activity.

We are well experienced in the licensing of Greenfield Sites, Brownfield Sites, multi-faceted retail development sites and converted premises. We will always attend on preliminary site meetings, if required, to assess how a Licence Application can be best devised to optimise the prospect of success and will always advise on the procedural requirements. We will advise on the process required and formulate the detail of the application in such a way as to seek to head off potential issues.

The required newspaper advertisements are centrally sourced through a national agency to ensure cost effective rates. Similar arrangements are in place for the posting of the required public notices on development sites, again on a cost effective basis.

The Premises Licence defines how premises may operate by specifying the hours of operation, the nature of licensable activities authorised and the conditions setting out how those activities may be carried out. Variation applications can be required to amend any of these elements.

We will advise on how Premises Licences can be improved in terms of hours, licensable activities or the deletion of restrictive conditions.

Having the current responsibility for the management of over 2500 premises, we are well experienced on assessing Licences and knowing what is or may be available.

Where changes to layout are sought we will assess the proposals to identify the most cost effective way forward.

We have had significant success in persuading Councils to deal with minor matters on an administrative basis and have lodged a significant number of minor variation applications to layout approval. This avoids the need for a full formal application with the formalities and costs that these bring.

Minor variations can also be used for other changes and as required, we will assist and advise.

Where the alterations are more than cosmetic and a minor variation application will not suffice, we will advise on the plans received and make the necessary formal variation application following close liaison with the Authority and Responsible Authorities in respect of any potential controversial issue.

Throughout the progress of any application, clients are kept fully informed as to the current status.

Pavement Café Licences, sometimes known as Street Trading Licences or Highways Licences, are required by any premises seeking to place tables and chairs and/or serve customers on Council owned land immediately adjacent to the premises.

We have extensive experience in lodging Pavement Licence applications throughout the Country and will advise on the particular requirements - these vary from Council to Council - and also advise with regard to any necessary Planning Application which may be required.

We maintain a central database of all Pavement Licences managed by us and will ensure the timely renewal of these as required.

These allow premises to celebrate a marriage ceremony or conduct a civil marriage ceremony.

We have extensive experience in dealing with Marriage Act Licences throughout the Country, particularly for our retained hotel clients where the formalities of the marriage ceremony often forms an integral part of the marriage celebration/reception.

Such Licences are time limited and we maintain a central database of these to ensure their timely renewal with all the necessary formalities being completed.

We are available to provide prompt and experienced advice when premises become the subject of enforcement action. This includes Summary Reviews, Closure Orders, Under Age Enforcement, Trading Standards or issues with residents.

Issues can also arise on the death or insolvency of the premises licence holder (which death or insolvency caused an immediate lapse of the licence) and we are well placed to advise and act in these circumstances whether for the family or for insolvency practitioners respectively.

We provide pragmatic advice in a timely fashion and on a cost effective basis.

Should you require any further details of our bespoke services or indeed any of the other services, please do not hesitate to contact us.