The Director Craig Gee, a Senior Solicitor with over 30 years experience as a Solicitor will take initial instructions and advise you upon your proposed application and manage and supervise the application thereafter. He will be responsible for handling your application throughout.
Key Stages
The Process will depend upon the nature of the application that you are making. See below for details.
Personal Licence
If neither you nor a colleague to be appointed as a Designated Premises Supervisor has a Personal Licence then it will be necessary for you or your colleague to successfully complete a training course to apply for a Personal Licence. We can direct you to the appropriate organisation to provide you with that training.
You will also need to obtain a Criminal Records Check (DBS).
Premises Licence
We will complete and submit your application. A copy of your application will also be supplied to each of the designated bodies that must receive notice of your application to include the Police, Fire Service and various other local authority bodies.
We will also need to advertise your application in an appropriate newspaper and further provide you with a formal notice that must be affixed to the premises in question. There will then be a period of 28 days in which any representatives of the designated bodies or indeed members of the public can raise objections.
If the application is not met with any objections, the Licensing Authority will process the application.
If however objections are raised to the application then notification will be provided that your application is to be considered in a hearing before a Licensing Committee. This usually takes place in the local Town Hall of the authority in which your premises are situated. This is a general guide and the exact process for your application may vary depending upon the nature of the premises and/or the local authority involved. We will of course be able to advise you in more detail during the initial consultation and keep you further informed upon the progress of the application.
Services which are included
Taking your instructions and advising you upon how to promote the licensing objectives within your application.
Advising you upon the type of plan that you are required to submit with your application.
Completing the application for a new premises licence to include the operating schedule in accordance with your instructions and submitting this to the local licensing authority together with suitable plans.
Providing guidance on the fee levels payable to the licensing authority. These vary depending upon the rateable value of the premises.
Serving copies of the application upon the responsible authorities.
Drafting the notice to advertise the premises licence application and submitting this to the local newspaper.
Drafting a notice for you to advertise the premises licence at the premises and advising you upon how and where this should be done by you to ensure that you comply with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003.
Providing a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) Consent Form to be signed by the Personal Licence holder proposed by you.
Checking the licence once granted and correcting any errors with the Licensing Authority.
The fee does not include:
- Obtaining suitable plans for the premises. We can advise you upon where such plans can be prepared by a suitably qualified surveyor.
- Attending pre-consultation meetings with the Licensing Authority or Responsible Authorities nor their fee for such meeting.
- Dealing with or advising you in relation to representations received from either the Responsible Authorities or interested parties.
- Advising on varying the licence.
- Attendance and representation at a Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing of the Responsible Authority. If representations are received to oppose the licence and attendance and representation at a Licensing Sub-Committee is required then we will provide you with a further estimate of our fees for undertaking this work which will be charged at an hourly rate of £240.00 plus VAT @ 20%.
How long will my application take
As soon as we have received complete instructions from you for the preparation of the application and the plans along with details of a suitably qualified DPS then, the application will usually be completed within 7 days and following submission and service upon the Responsible Authorities there will be a period of around 30 days after which time we shall be aware of whether the premises licence is to be granted or is opposed. If the application is opposed then it is likely to be listed for a hearing before a Sub-Committee within 30 days thereafter. We shall of course advise you further in that eventuality.
| Type | Solicitors Costs | Disbursement Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Licence | £300 + VAT = £360 | * DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) – £25 * Application Costs to Council – £37 |
| Premises Licence | £500 + VAT = £600 | * Local Newspapers Advert – £240 + VAT (approx.) * Application Costs to Council – From £100 (dependable on the domestic non-rateable value of the property) * Surveyors costs (for plans) – £500 (approx.) |
| Variation of Licence | £400 + VAT = £480 | * Local Newspapers Advert – £240 + VAT (approx.) * Application Costs to Council – From £100 (dependable on the domestic non-rateable value of the property) |
| Personal Licence & Premises Licence | £700 + VAT = £840 | * DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) – £25 * Application Costs to Council – £37 * Local Newspapers Advert – £240 + VAT (approx.) * Application Costs to Council – From £100 (dependable on the domestic non-rateable value of the property) * Surveyors costs (for plans) – £500 (approx.) |
- VAT is charged at 20%
- Legal fees are not inclusive of any disbursements
- Hearing and Appeals or Preparations for Hearings and Appeals are not included in the price
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