Changing Your Licence
Any changes to a Premises Licence have to be notified to, or applied for, from the licensing authority. The authority is required to ensure that there is adequate opportunity for interested parties to make representations. There is likely to be an administrative charge for any changes.
Typical examples would be changes to your premises or operating schedule, such as longer opening hours or changes to the premises (extensions).
Planning Ahead
Before making your application you should consider what your plans for your business are. If you can foresee the possibility of opening for longer hours, or that you plan to open longer during specific times in the year you should consider applying for a licence which will not have to be changed at that time.
You can apply for a licence for up to 24 hours, 7 days a week, and once you have agreed the hours you don’t have to use them. However, remember the later you wish to open the more likely that you may face objections from local people and if you make an application for a 24/7 licence local people may be more likely to object.
Alternatively you can apply for longer hours at specified times of the year, for example in the weeks leading up to Christmas, or around an annual local event. As long as you define these on your operating schedule then you will not have to make variations to your licence.
Exceptions include:
1. Transfer of licence from one person or business to another:
This is an administrative procedure. However in exceptional circumstances the Police have the right to object to the proposed premises licence holder if they have cause to believe that that individual or business would pose a crime risk and if so advise the Local Authority who will be required to hold a hearing.
2. Changing the Designated Premises Supervisor:
Your licence is not valid without a designated premises supervisor responsible for the premises. In the event of a changeover, the local authority must be notified immediately. The nominee must be a personal licence holder and sign a letter of consent. They have immediate authority on submission of notification so you will not have to stop trading, however in exceptional circumstances the Police do have the power to object within 14 days to that nominee, on the grounds of their position would undermine the crime prevention objective.