Licensing of Pavement Cafés Act (Northern Ireland) 2014

Notice of revocation, suspension or compulsory variation

19.—(1) Before deciding to revoke, suspend or make a compulsory variation of a pavement café licence, a council must (subject to subsection (5)) notify the licence holder in writing of its proposal to revoke, suspend or vary the licence.

(2) A notification under subsection (1) must state—

(a) the grounds for the proposed revocation, suspension or variation; and

(b) that representations in writing relating to the proposal may be made by the licence holder to the council until the end of a period specified in the notification.

(3) Any period specified under subsection (2)(b) must be at least 21 days beginning with the date when the notification is sent unless the council considers that there are particular circumstances which make a shorter period necessary in the public interest.

(4) In deciding whether to revoke, suspend or make the proposed variation of the licence the council must take into account any representations made by the licence holder within the period specified under subsection (2)(b).

(5) If it considers that there are particular circumstances which make it necessary to do so in the public interest, a council may decide whether to revoke, suspend or make a compulsory variation of a pavement café licence even though no notification has been given under subsection (1).

(6) Where a council decides to revoke, suspend or make a compulsory variation of a pavement café licence, the council must give notice in writing to the licence holder of the revocation, suspension or variation.

(7) A notice under subsection (6) must—

(a) state when the revocation, suspension or variation takes effect;

(b) in the case of suspension, state when the suspension ends;

(c) state the grounds for the revocation, suspension or variation; and

(d) include notice of the licence holder’s rights under section 21 (appeals).

(8) A notice under subsection (6) may provide for the revocation, suspension or variation to take effect on the date when that notice is served on the licence holder, but only where the council considers that there are particular circumstances which make this necessary in the public interest.

(9) In any other case, the notice must give the licence holder such notice of the revocation, suspension or variation as the council considers reasonable in all the circumstances.

(10) A notice under subsection (6) may be withdrawn at any time before the revocation, suspension or variation takes effect.

(11) Where a suspension of a pavement café licence has taken effect, the council may—

(a) extend the suspension on one or more occasions;

(b) revoke the suspension by notice in writing to the person whose licence was suspended.

(12) Subsections (1) to (10) apply to an extension of a suspension as they apply to a suspension.

(13) Any reference in this section to compulsory variation of a pavement café licence is to variation of a pavement café licence under any of sections 16 to 18.