Premises Licence Compliance Review

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Licensing regulation can be complex. Our Premises Licence Compliance Review provides a structured assessment of your premises, licence conditions, policies, and operational practices to ensure compliance with the Licensing Act 2003 and associated guidance.

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Licensing applies to premises involved in:

• The sale of alcohol

• Regulated entertainment

• Late-night refreshment (the sale of hot food or hot drinks after 23:00)

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While licensing compliance is essential, it is rarely the day-to-day focus of a business — nor should it be. However, without the correct Premises Licence or Temporary Event Notice in place, these activities cannot lawfully take place.

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Failings in licensing compliance can have serious consequences, including unlimited fines, up to six months’ imprisonment, and enforcement action by the licensing authority. Non-compliance may also trigger a review of the Premises Licence, which can result in suspension, revocation, or the imposition of restrictive and costly conditions.

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Why a Compliance Review Is Important

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As businesses evolve, changes to operating style, layout, hours, or staffing can unintentionally place a premises outside the scope of its licence conditions. In addition, updates to legislation or guidance may be overlooked.

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The key to avoiding enforcement action is ensuring that appropriate policies, procedures, and training are in place so that licensing compliance is embedded into everyday operations and does not rely on reactive management.

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How We Can Help

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Our Premises Licence Compliance Review provides a practical and proportionate audit of your premises and operations. As part of the review, we will:

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• Examine your Premises Licence to confirm compliance with permitted hours, activities, and conditions

• Assess operational policies, procedures, and staff training against licensing requirements

• Identify areas of risk or non-compliance

• Provide a clear written report and action plan, setting out recommended steps to achieve or maintain compliance

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Where appropriate, we also advise on future training requirements and assist with drafting or updating policies and procedures to support ongoing compliance.

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Don’t Ignore Licensing

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Licensing compliance often drops down the priority list until an incident occurs — at which point it may be too late.

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Our experience shows that many managers and supervisors have not fully reviewed or understood their Premises Licence. As a result, uncertainty around permitted hours, licensable activities, and legally binding conditions is common.

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Our Licensing Consultants have extensive experience securing Premises Licences and drafting licence conditions. We understand how conditions are interpreted by Responsible Authorities and how they operate in practice. We translate complex licence wording into clear, workable guidance that reflects real-world operations.

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Failure to comply with any licence condition, including the mandatory conditions, may be treated as an unauthorised licensable activity. This can lead to enforcement action, prosecution, and a review of the Premises Licence, with outcomes including suspension or revocation.

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Our Fees

• Premises Licence Compliance Review: from £150 for an initial licence review

• Further consultancy and support is quoted based on the size and complexity of the premises and operation