Licensing Act 2003

[F1 169A Closure notices for persistently selling alcohol to children E+W

(1) A relevant officer may give a notice under this section (a “closure notice”) applying to any premises if—

(a) there is evidence that a person (“the offender”) has committed an offence under section 147A in relation to those premises;

(b) the relevant officer considers that the evidence is such that, if the offender were prosecuted for the offence, there would be a realistic prospect of his being convicted; and

(c) the offender is still, at the time when the notice is given, the holder of a premises licence in respect of those premises, or one of the holders of such a licence.

(2) A closure notice is a notice which—

(a) proposes a prohibition[F2 , for the period specified in the notice,] on sales of alcohol on the premises in question; and

(b) offers the opportunity to discharge all criminal liability in respect of the alleged offence by the acceptance of the prohibition proposed by the notice.

(3) A closure notice must—

(a) be in the form prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State;

(b) specify the premises to which it applies;

(c) give such particulars of the circumstances believed to constitute the alleged offence (including the sales to which it relates) as are necessary to provide reasonable information about it;

(d) specify the length of the period during which it is proposed that sales of alcohol should be prohibited on those premises;

(e) specify when that period would begin if the prohibition is accepted;

(f) explain what would be the effect of the proposed prohibition and the consequences under this Act (including the maximum penalties) of a sale of alcohol on the premises during the period for which it is in force;

(g) explain the right of every person who, at the time of the alleged offence, held or was one of the holders of a premises licence in respect of those premises to be tried for that offence; and

(h) explain how that right may be exercised and how (where it is not exercised) the proposed prohibition may be accepted.

(4) The period specified for the purposes of subsection (3)(d) must be [F3 at least 48 hours but not more than 336 hours]; and the time specified as the time from which that period would begin must be not less than 14 days after the date of the service of the closure notice in accordance with subsection (6).

(5) The provision included in the notice by virtue of subsection (3)(h) must—

(a) provide a means of identifying a police officer or trading standards officer to whom notice exercising the option to accept the prohibition may be given;

(b) set out particulars of where and how that notice may be given to that police officer or trading standards officer;

(c) require that notice to be given within 14 days after the date of the service of the closure notice; and

(d) explain that the right to be tried for the alleged offence will be taken to have been exercised unless every person who, at the time of the notice, holds or is one of the holders of the premises licence for the premises in question accepts the proposed prohibition.

(6) Section 184 (giving of notices) does not apply to a closure notice; but such a notice must be served on the premises to which it applies.

(7) A closure notice may be served on the premises to which it applies—

(a) only by being handed by a constable or trading standards officer to a person on the premises who appears to the constable or trading standards officer to have control of or responsibility for the premises (whether on his own or with others); and

(b) only at a time when it appears to that constable or trading standards officer that licensable activities are being carried on there.

(8) A copy of every closure notice given under this section must be sent to the holder of the premises licence for the premises to which it applies at whatever address for that person is for the time being set out in the licence.

(9) A closure notice must not be given more than 3 months after the time of the last of the sales to which the alleged offence relates.

(10) No more that one closure notice may be given in respect of offences relating to the same sales; nor may such a notice be given in respect of an offence in respect of which a prosecution has already been brought.

(11) In this section “relevant officer” means—

(a) a police officer of the rank of superintendent or above; or

(b) an inspector of weights and measures appointed under section 72(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1985.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 169A, 169B and preceding cross-heading inserted (6.4.2007) by Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38), ss. 24(1), 66(2)(3); S.I. 2007/858, art. 2(a)

F2 Words in s. 169A(2)(a) substituted (22.3.2012 for specified purposes, 25.4.2012 in so far as not aleady in force) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 118(3)(a), 157(1) (with s. 118(5)); S.I. 2012/896, art. 2(h); S.I. 2012/1129, art. 2(d)

F3 Words in s. 169A(4) substituted (22.3.2012 for specified purposes, 25.4.2012 in so far as not aleady in force) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 118(3)(b), 157(1) (with s. 118(5)); S.I. 2012/896, art. 2(h); S.I. 2012/1129, art. 2(d)