Licensing Act 2003 Explanatory Notes

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Summary and Background

  3. The Act

  4. COMMENTARY ON SECTIONS

    1. PART 1 – Licensable activities

      1. General

      2. Section 1 – Licensable activities and qualifying club activities

      3. Section 2 - Authorisation for licensable activities and qualifying club activities

    2. PART 2: Licensing authorities

      1. General

      2. Section 3 - Licensing authorities

      3. Section 4 - General duties of licensing authorities

      4. Section 5 - Statement of licensing policy

      5. Section 6 - Licensing Committee

      6. Section 7 - Exercise and delegation of functions

      7. Section 8 - Requirement to keep a register

      8. Section 9 - Proceedings of licensing committee

      9. Section 10 - Sub-delegation of functions by licensing committee

    3. PART 3: Premises licences

      1. General

      2. Section 11 - Premises licence

      3. Section 12 - The relevant licensing authority

      4. Section 13 - Authorised persons, interested parties and responsible authorities

      5. Section 14 – Meaning of ‘supply of alcohol’

      6. Section 15 – Meaning of  ‘designated premises supervisor’

      7. Section 16 – Applicant for premises licence

      8. Section 17 - Application for a premises licence

      9. Section 18 – Determination of application for premises licence

      10. Section 19 - Mandatory conditions where licence authorises supply of alcohol

      11. Section 20 – Mandatory condition: exhibition of films

      12. Section 21 – Mandatory condition: door supervision

      13. Section 22 – Prohibited conditions: plays

      14. Section 23 – Grant or rejection of application

      15. Section 24 – Form of licence and summary

      16. Section 25 - Theft, loss, of premises licence or summary

      17. Section 26 – Period of validity of premises licence

      18. Section 27 – Death, incapacity,  insolvency of licence holder

      19. Section 28 – Surrender of premises licence

      20. Section 29 – Application for a provisional statement where premises being built,

      21. Section 30 – Advertisement of application for provisional statement

      22. Section 31 – Determination of application for provisional statement

      23. Section 32 – Restriction on making representations following provisional statement

      24. Section 33 – Notification of change of name or address.

      25. Section 34 - Application to vary premises licence

        Section 35 - Determination of application under section 34 and

        Section 36 - Supplementary provision about determinations under section 35

      26. Section 37 – Application to vary licence to specify individual as premises supervisor

      27. Section 38 – Circumstances in which section 37 application given interim effect

      28. Section 39 – Determination of section 37 application

      29. Section 40 – Duty of applicant following determination under section 39

      30. Section 41 – Request to be removed as designated premises supervisor

      31. Section 42 – Application for transfer of premises licence

      32. Section 43 – Circumstances in which transfer application given interim effect

      33. Section 44 – Determination of transfer application

      34. Section 45 – Notification of determination under section 44

      35. Section 46 – Duty to notify designated premises supervisor of transfer

      36. Section 47 – Interim authority notice following death of licence holder

      37. Section 48 – Cancellation of interim authority notice following police objections

      38. Section 49 – Supplementary provision about interim authority notice

      39. Section 50 – Reinstatement of licence on transfer following death of holder

      40. Section 51 – Application for review of premises licence

      41. Section 52 – Determination of application for review

      42. Section 53 – Supplementary provision about review

      43. Section 54 – Form etc of applications and notices under Part 3

      44. Section 55 – Fees

      45. Section 56 – Licensing authority’s duty to update licence document

      46. Section 57 – Duty to keep and produce licence

      47. Section 58 – Provision supplementary to section 57

      48. Section 59 – Inspection of premises before grant of licence,

    4. PART 4:

      1. General

      2. Section 60 – Club premises certificate

      3. Section 61 – Qualifying clubs

      4. Section 62 – The general conditions

      5. Section 63 – Determining whether a club is established and conducted in good faith

      6. Section 64 – The additional conditions for the supply of alcohol

      7. Section 65 – Industrial and provident societies, friendly societies,

        Section 66 – Miners’ welfare institutes

      8. Section 67 – Associate members and their guests

      9. Section 68 – The relevant licensing authority

      10. Section 69 – Authorised persons, interested parties and responsible authorities

      11. Section 70 – Other definitions relating to clubs

      12. Section 71 – Application for club premises certificate

      13. Section 72 – Determination of application for club premises certificate

      14. Section 73 – Certificate authorising supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises

      15. Section 74 – Mandatory condition: exhibition of films

      16. Section 75– Prohibited conditions: associate members and their guests

      17. Section 76– Prohibited conditions: plays

      18. Section 77 – Grant or rejection of application for club premises certificate

      19. Section 78 - Form of certificate and summary

      20. Section 79 – Theft, loss of certificate or summary

      21. Section 80 – Period of validity of club premises certificate

      22.  Section 81 - Surrender of club premises certificate

      23. Section 82 – Notification of change of name or alteration of rules of club

      24. Section 83 – Change of relevant registered address of a club

      25. Section 84 – Application to vary club premises certificate

        Section 85 – Determination of application under section 84 and

        Section 86 – Supplementary provision about applications under section 84

      26. Section 87 – Application for review of club premises certificate

      27. Section88 – Determination of application for review and

        Section 89 – Supplementary provision about review

      28. Section 90 – Club ceasing to be a qualifying club

      29. Section 91 – Form etc. of applications and notices under Part 4

      30. Section 92 – Fees

      31. Section 93 – Duty to provide licensing authority with club premises certificate

      32. Section 94  - Duty to keep and produce certificate

        Section 95 - Provision supplementary to section 94

      33. Section 96 - Inspection of premises before grant of certificate

      34. Section 97 - Other powers of entry and search

    5. PART 5: Permitted temporary activities

      1. Section 98 – Meaning of ‘permitted temporary activity’

      2. Section 99– The relevant licensing authority

      3. Section 100 – Temporary event notice

      4. Section 101 – Minimum of 24 hours between event periods

      5. Section 102 – Acknowledgement of notice

      6. Section 103– Withdrawal of notice

      7. Section 104 – Objection to notice by police

        Section 105 -  Counter notice following police objection and

        Section 106 - Modification of notice following police objection

      8. Section 107 - Counter notice where permitted limits exceeded

      9. Section 108 – Right of entry where temporary event notice given and

        Section 109 – Duty to keep and produce temporary event notice

      10. Section 110 – Theft, loss of temporary event notice

    6. PART 6: Personal Licences

      1. Section 111 – Personal licence

      2. Section 112 – The relevant licensing authority

      3. Section 113 – Meaning of “relevant offence” and “foreign offence”

      4. Section 114 – Spent  convictions

      5. Section 115 – Period of validity of personal licence and

      6. Section 116 – Surrender of personal licence

      7. Section 117 – Application for grant or renewal of personal licence

        Section 118 – Individual permitted to hold only one personal licence

        Section 119 – Licence continued pending renewal

      8. Section 120 – Determination of application for grant

      9. Section 121 – Determination of application for renewal

      10. Section 122 – Notification of determinations

      11. Section 123 – Duty to notify licensing authority of convictions during application period

      12. Section 124 – Convictions coming to light after grant or renewal

      13. Section 125 – Form of personal licence

      14. Section 126 – Theft, loss,   of personal licence

      15. Section 127 – Duty to notify change of name or address

      16. Section 128 – Duty to notify court of personal licence

        Section 129 – Forfeiture or suspension of licence on conviction for relevant offence

      17. Section 130 – Powers of appellate court to suspend order under section 129

      18. Section 131 – Court’s duty to notify licensing authority of convictions

      19. Section 132 – Licence holder’s duty to notify licensing authority of convictions

      20. Section 133 –Form etc. of applications and notices under Part 6

      21. Section 134 – Licensing authority’s duty to update licence document

      22. Section 135 – Licence holder’s duty to produce licence

    7. PART 7:

      1. Section 136 – Unauthorised licensable activities

      2. Section 137 – Exposing alcohol for unauthorised sale

      3. Section 138 – Keeping alcohol on premises for unauthorised sale

      4. Section 139 - Defence of due diligence

      5. Section 140 – Allowing disorderly conduct on licensed premises

      6. Section 141 – Sale of alcohol to a person who is drunk

      7. Section 142 – Obtaining alcohol for a person who is drunk

      8. Section 143– Failure to leave licensed premises

      9. Section 144 – Keeping of smuggled goods

      10. Section 145 – Unaccompanied children prohibited from certain premises.

      11. Section 146 – Sale of alcohol to children

      12. Section 147 – Allowing sale of alcohol to children

      13. Section 148 – Sale of liqueur confectionery to children under 16

      14. Section 149 – Purchase of alcohol by or on behalf of children

      15. Section 150 – Consumption of alcohol by children

      16. Section 151 – Delivering alcohol to children

      17. Section 152 – Sending a child to obtain alcohol

      18. Section 153 – Prohibition of unsupervised sales by children

      19. Section 154 – Enforcement role for weights and measures authorities

      20. Section 155 – Confiscation of sealed containers for alcohol

      21. Section 156 – Prohibition of sale of alcohol on moving vehicles

      22. Section 157 – Power to prohibit sale of alcohol on trains

      23. Section 158 – False statements made for the purposes of this Act

    8. Part 8: Closure of premises

      1. General

      2. Section 160 – Order to close premises in an area experiencing disorder

      3. Section 161 – Closure order for identified premises

      4. Section 162 – Extension of closure order

      5. Section 163 – Cancellation of closure order

      6. Section 164 – Application to magistrates’ court by police

      7. Section 165 – Consideration of closure order by magistrates’ court

      8. Section 166 – Appeal from decision of magistrates’ court

      9. Section 167 – Review of premises licence following closure order

      10. Section 168 – Provision about decisions under section 167

      11. Section 171 – Interpretation of Part 8

    9. Part 9: Miscellaneous and Supplementary

      1. General

      2. Section 172 – Relaxation of opening hours for special occasions

      3. Section 173 – Activities in certain locations not licensable

      4. Section 174 – Certifying premises on grounds of national security

      5. Section 175 – Exemption for raffle, tombola

      6. Section 176 – Prohibition of alcohol sales at service areas, garages

      7. Section 177 – Dancing and live music in certain small premises

      8. Section 178 – Right of freeholder to be notified of licensing matters

      9. Section 179 – Rights of entry to investigate licensable activities

      10. Section 180 - Right of entry to investigate offences

      11. Section 181 – Appeals against decisions of licensing authorities

      12. Section 182- Guidance

      13. Section 183 - Hearings

      14. Section 184 – Giving of notices,

      15. Section 185 – Provision of information

      16. Section 186 - Proceedings for offences

      17. Section 187 – Offences by bodies corporate

      18. Section 188 – Jurisdiction and procedure in respect of offences

      19. Section 189 - Vessels, vehicles and moveable structures

      20. Section 190 - Location of sales

      21. Section 191 – Meaning of “alcohol”

      22. Section 192– Meaning of ‘sale by retail’

      23. Section 195 – Crown application

      24. Section 196 – Removal of privileges and exemptions

      25. Section 197 - Regulations and orders

      26. Section 198 – Minor and consequential amendments

      27. Section 199 – Repeals

      28. Section 200 – Transitional provisions

      29. Section 201 – Short title, commencement and extent

    10. Schedule 1 – Provision of regulated entertainment

    11. Schedule 2 – Provision of late night refreshment

    12. Schedule 3 – Matters to be entered in licensing register

    13. Schedule  4 – Personal licence: relevant offences

    14. Schedule 5 – Appeals

    15. Schedule 6  – Minor and consequential amendments

    16. Schedule 7- Repeals

    17. Schedule 8 – Transitional provision

  5. Commencement

  6. Hansard References

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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