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Licensing Act 2003

 
As a result of the Licensing Act 2003, responsibility for licensing the provision of alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment has been passed from magistrates to the Council.

Therefore ...

You now need a Premises Licence from the Council in order to:

  • sell alcohol
  • supply alcohol at a club
  • provide regulated entertainment
  • provide facilities for regulated entertainment
  • provide refreshments between 11pm and 5am.

But that's not all …

  • Additionally, all sales of alcohol must be made by, or under the authority of, a Personal Licence holder.
  • Also, if you are applying for a Premises Licence that includes consent to supply or sell alcohol, you must appoint a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). This person must be a Personal Licence holder.

However, you don't need a Premises Licence if …

  • you are holding a certain type of one-off or occasional event (in this case, you still need a Temporary Event Notice)
  • your establishment is a qualifying club (members club) (in this case you still need to obtain a Club Premises Certificate)
  • you provide refreshments between 11pm and 5am, and fall into an Exempt category.

How long does a Premises Licence last?

A Premises Licence lasts for the lifetime of the business, unless you apply for a licence for a shorter period.

How to apply for a Premises Licence

Please see our apply for a Premises Licence page.

Licensing policy

The Council has produced the Greenwich Licensing Policy after extensive consultation with all interested parties. You should read the policy if you hold a licence or if you need to complain about a licensed premises.

Download the full licensing policy.

The policy is constantly under review. If you have any comments then please contact the Licensing team using the details on the right.

Further information

Please contact the Licensing team.

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