Premises Licences

Applicants are strongly urged to complete online applications as the default position. Post is not being opened as frequently, therefore applications posted to us may not be received or considered promptly.

Should you be making a representation to an application please email this to us. The licensing team can be contacted licensing@spelthorne.gov.uk or 01784 444213 option 3.

We do not have an application advice service or form filling service therefore we advise any prospective applicants to seek the services from a licensing agent.

What is a Premises Licence?

Premise licences authorise any premises to be used for one or more of the licensable activities.

If you carry out any licensable activities at your premises without a premises licence, you can be fined, sent to prison for up to 6 months, or both.

The 'licensable activities' include one or more of the following:

• the sale and supply of alcohol
• the provision of regulated entertainment (this includes live and recorded, plays, films and sports tournaments)
• the provision of hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am -Late night refreshment

Who can apply for a premises licence?

• Any person who is aged 18 or over and who is, or is proposing to, carry on a business which involves the use of premises for licensable activities may apply for a premises licence either on a permanent or time-limited basis
• You must have a DPS to sell alcohol under a premises licence and the DPS must have a personal licence
• You must make sure that each sale of alcohol is made or authorised by a person who holds a personal licence

Apply online

You can apply online for a premises licence

• Alcohol licensing (opens new window)
• Application for a premises licence (opens new window)
• Application to vary a premises licence to specify an individual as designated premises supervisor (opens new window)
• Application to transfer premises licence (opens new window)
• Application to vary a premises licence (opens new window)
• Consent to be designated (opens new window)
• Consent to transfer (opens new window)
• Application for a minor variation to a premise or club licence (opens new window)
• Notification of change of name or address (opens new window)
• Provisional statement (opens new window)
• Request to be removed as a designated supervisor (opens new window)

Your application must include:

• completed application form
• consent form for the proposed designated premises' supervisor (if the premises are selling or supplying alcohol). The designated premises supervisor must hold a personal alcohol licence
• a plan of the premises to the prescribed format
• the statutory fee based on the rateable value (see the Valuation Office Agency website)
• a copy of the entire application (without the fee) must be sent to each of the responsible authorities

Advertising

You need to advertise the application during the representation period.

• The window advertisement  must be displayed on the outside of the property on light blue A4 (or larger) paper. The advertisement must be displayed for 28 consecutive days starting the day after the application is submitted to the licensing unit.
• The newspaper advertisement needs to appear at least once in a local newspaper within ten working days of the application being submitted. The applicant is responsible for sending a copy of the advertisement to the Licensing Team.

What happens next?

There will be a consultation period for 28 days from the date you submitted the application during which responsible authorities and other people (for example, local residents or businesses) can object.

If there are not any objections, the licence will be granted.

If there are objections, the Licensing Sub-Committee will consider the application at a public hearing.

Will tacit consent apply?

Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period, provided the application was correctly made.

Note: The application to vary a premises licence to specify an individual as designated premises supervisor under the Licensing Act 2003 asks the licensee to give a copy of the form to the existing premises' supervisor. The completed form contains personal information about the proposed new DPS and sharing this information would be in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998. It is sufficient for the licensee to inform the DPS that the application has been made, without the need to share the specific details of the application. A full copy of the application form must still be sent to police. The form will be amended via regulations as soon as possible to make this clear.