Apply for a premises licence

Under the Licensing Act 2003, Individuals or businesses need a premises licence to conduct one or more of these licensable activities:

• sale by retail of alcohol

• the provision of regulated entertainment (certain types of entertainment have been deregulated)

• the provision of late night refreshment (hot food and drink sales) between 11pm and 5am.

Regulated entertainment includes (with certain exceptions):

• a performance of a play

• an exhibition of a film

• an indoor sporting event

• boxing or wrestling entertainment

• a performance of live music

• any playing of recorded music

• a performance of dance.

The licensing objectives

Under the Act there are four key licensing objectives:

1. prevention of crime and disorder

2. protection of children from harm

3. public safety

4. prevention of public nuisance.

When you make an application for a premises licence, you must show how your proposed activities will not adversely affect the licensing objectives.

Apply for a premises licence

Fill in the premises licence application form

You can either submit an online form by clicking the button below or download and submit the form as a Word document (see 'premises licence application pack').

Fees

This is a standard form that is designed for many business types, so only complete the sections that relate to the activities you wish to apply for.

The fee for this process varies. The fee can be paid by an online form. Learn more about paying your application fee.

Premises licence application pack

Disapplied premises supervisor

Application for the mandatory alcohol condition under licensing Act 2003 requiring a Designated Premises Supervisor in respect of a premises licence to be disapplied.

Fire brigade plan 

Send a copy of your application to the responsible authorities

These are bodies with specific powers under the Licensing Act 2003 to promote the four licensing objectives.

List of responsible authorities for Lewisham.

Make a plan of your premises 

This should be drawn in a standard scale of 1:100 and show the following items:

• the boundary of the building with any external or internal walls

• entrances and exits to the building

• escape routes from the building

• locations of different licensable activities in the building (if relevant)

• where alcohol will be consumed in the premises

• fixed or temporary structures which may block entrances or exits to the building

• the location and height of any stages in the premises

• any steps, stairs, elevators or lifts in the premises

• the location of any public toilets in the building

• fire safety equipment or any other safety equipment such as the location of fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire blankets

• the location of a kitchen

• CCTV locations if appropriate.

Fulfil a 28-day notice period

This is the time in which your application is advertised and responsible authorities and other interested parties such as local residents can make representations to us about your application.

If one or more of the agencies are not satisfied that you have taken sufficient steps to promote the licensing objectives, your application may receive a representation.

Responsible authorities or interested parties can only object to your application on the grounds of one or more of the four licensing objectives.

Sale and supply of alcohol

If you intend to apply for a premises licence allowing the sale and supply of alcohol there are other matters you will need to address.

• You will need a personal licence holder to authorise the supply of alcohol in line with your premises licence.

• You will need to nominate a designated premise supervisor (DPS) on your premises licence application. The premises supervisor must be a personal licence holder in order to authorise the sale of alcohol.

Hearings

If representations are received during the notice period, your application will go to a hearing.

In a hearing, both the applicant and anyone who made representations can present their case to the members, and ask questions of each other.

The members then discuss the points raised and seek legal advice from officers, before reaching a determination which they believe will promote the four licensing objectives.

All parties have a right of appeal to the magistrate's court.

Receiving your licence

If after your 28 day notice period your application has received no representations then your new licence will be granted subject only to certain conditions which are consistent with the measures you volunteered on page 14 of your application form, plus any other mandatory conditions imposed by the act.

Your new licence will remain in force from the date of issue indefinitely. An annual fee for your licence is payable on the anniversary of the date your licence was granted.

Transferring the licence or changing designated premises supervisor

See documents below to transfer the licence or change the designated premises supervisor.