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Alcohol Premises Licence

A premises licence lets you use a premises for a range of licensable activities. These include:

  • Selling alcohol
  • Supplying alcohol to (or on behalf of) a club
  • Providing regulated entertainment (including live and recorded music, plays, films, dancing, indoor sporting events, boxing and wrestling)
  • Providing late night refreshment (the supply of hot food or drink to the public between 23:00 and 05:00)

Applying for a premises licence

An application for a premises licence has to be made to the relevant licensing authority along with:

Please make sure that copies of the application are submitted to the Licensing Authority & Responsible Authorities and the Advertisement of Applications, both at the premises and in the local press.

Minor variation of a premises licence

A minor variation application can be used for the following:

  • Minor changes to the structure or layout of a premises
  • Small adjustments to licensing hours (but this does not cover increasing the hours alcohol is sold)
  • Removing of out of date, irrelevant or unenforceable conditions
  • Adding certain licensable activities, including live music

Download application for a minor variation to a premises licence [pdf] 595KB
Download minor variation of a premises licence notice [pdf] 522KB

Exclusions

Some of the exclusions for a minor variation are:

  • To extend the period for which the licence has effect
  • To authorise the sale of alcohol at any time between 23:00 and 07:00
  • To increase the amount of time during which alcohol can be sold

Further information

Email the licensing team for more information on whether your proposed changes can be made as a minor variation.

Fee

The current fee is £89.00.

Varying a premises licence

If your application falls outside the scope for a minor variation you will need to submit a full variation:

You must ensure that copies of the application are submitted to the Licensing Authority & Responsible Authorities and follow the Advertisement of Applications.

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.

Please visit the government website for more information.

Transferring a premises licence to a new licence holder

If you purchase or lease a venue that already has a premises licence then you’ll need to immediately apply to have the licence transferred over. You can do this by following the steps below:

Interim authority notice

Please email Licensing if you would like to apply for an interim authority notice following the death of the licence holder, the licence holder becoming insolvent, or is no longer entitled to work in the UK.

Changing the designated premises supervisor (DPS)

You can change the DPS by using the Application To Vary A Prem Licence To Specify An Individual As DPS Under LA 2003 [pdf] 221KB. Please ensure that you also submit a completed Consent Of Individual To Being Specified As Premises Supervisor [pdf] 125KB as part of the online application.  The fee is £23.00.

Following your submission a copy will be shared with our Licensing team. A further copy will also be sent to Kent Police via email to licensing.east.division@kent.pnn.police.uk.

Applying for a community premises licence without a DPS

Please email Licensing if you would like to apply for community premises licence without a DPS.

Removing yourself as a DPS from a premises

You can request to be removed as designated premises supervisor [pdf] 543KB, if you hold that position and then leave a premises. This will ensure that you are no longer responsible for the alcohol sales at that premises.

The application to vary the licence to name a new DPS by the new licence holder will prevent this action being necessary. But if that isn’t filled out then you will need to remove yourself.

Privacy notice

Frequently Asked Questions

+ How do I apply for a new premises licence?

You can download the forms and guidance notes above.

You can return them by post or by hand at the Civic Centre/Town Hall or by email licensing@ashford.gov.uk.

+ Do I need to submit a plan?

A plan needs to be submitted for all new applications and with variations where the licensable area is being changed.

+ Does the plan have to be professionally drawn?

No, but it must be to scale and have all the required elements marked on the plan.

+ How do I change the DPS (Designated Premises Supervisor)?

Complete the forms above to vary the DPS. A fee is applicable.

+ I have taken over a business that has a premises licence what do I need to do?

Refer to the forms above to transfer the licence (with the consent of the previous licence holder) and to change (vary) the DPS.