Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing

Background
The Licensing Act 2003 provides a new regime for the licensing of the sale or supply of alcohol, regulated entertainment and late night refreshment with effect from 24th November 2005.

The Government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which has responsibility for this legislation, has an extensive web site; all the legislation is published by the Office of Public Sector Information - please see the links on the right.

Implementation
When the Act became fully operational on 24th November 2005 (the second appointed day), all licences and certificates issued under the following legislation ceased to have effect, whatever date of expiry is shown:

• Licensing Act 1964

• Private Places of Entertainment (Licensing) Act 1967

• Theatres Act 1968

• Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969

• Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, Schedule 1

• Cinemas Act 1985

A full list of the legislation repealed and amended by the Licensing Act 2003 is contained in schedule 7 to the Act.

Drinking in Public Places
From 3rd May 2007 the whole of the city of Southampton became a drinking control area under a Designated Public Places Order (DPPO). This may affect your business if you serve alcohol or permit your customers to consume alcohol outside your premises in a public place and you do not have either that area clearly indicated in your premises licence or do not have consent for tables and chairs on the highway from the highways team ('phone 023 8083 2039). Please see the link on the right for information about the Designated Public Places Order.

Best Bar None
Hampshire Constabulary's Southampton licensing unit in partnership with Southampton City Council's licensing team, has helped organise "Southampton Best Bar None" since 2006. The Southampton scheme is now the second largest in the country - for further information please follow the link on the left.

Guidance and Forms
Copies of forms for applications for premises licences, personal licences and club premises certificates and the City Council's guidance notes are available from the individual page links to the left. Please note that all forms are prescribed by the DCMS, and the City Council has no control or discretion over their format. Microsoft Word® forms capable of completion electronically appear in these pages.

Service of Documents
Please note that we are unable to accept applications, notices etc. by fax or e-mail. Applications will not be valid until the original signed document and appropriate fee have been received by us at Southbrook Rise, and the document has been served on all the other parties involved. If you are unsure as to the prescribed procedure, you should read the appropriate guidance note and seek independent professional legal advice.

Fees
Fees for applications for premises licences and club premises certificates, again set by the DCMS, are calculated on the Non-Domestic Rateable Value of the premises. You can obtain the NDRV for your premises from your business rates bill or from the Valuation Office Agency via their web site (please follow the other useful web sites link to the right) or by telephoning the VOA on 023 8053 8500.

Revisions of some or all of these fees are anticipated in 2007; details will appear here when they are known.

Notes of the fees are contained in each set of premises or personal licence guidance notes. A link to a full list appears on the right of this page.

Penalties
The sale or supply of alcohol, provision of regulated entertainment or late night refreshment must be authorised by a premises licence, club premises certificate or temporary event notice. The penalty for not doing so is severe - a maximum £20,000 fine and/or up to six months imprisonment. In addition, anyone authorising alcohol sales must hold a personal licence (or have given a TEN).

Other Licences
Please note that holding a premises licence or a club premises certificate will not dispense with the need for the premises to have permission from the owner of any copyright work to perform or reproduce recorded sound or video.

Follow the links on the right to the Performing Rights Society and Mechanical Copyright Protection Society, Phonographic Performance Ltd. and Video Performance Ltd., who deal with these matters on behalf of the owners of the copyright works.

General Information
Links to general guidance appear on the right of this page.

Contact information

Email: licensing@southampton.gov.uk

Licensing Act 2003 enquiries
Telephone: 023 8083 4209

Temporary event notices
Telephone: 023 8083 3245

Fax: 023 8083 4061

Postal address:
Licensing Team
Southampton City Council
PO Box 1344
Southampton
SO15 1WQ

Document Exchange: DX 115710 Southampton 17

Personal callers:
Licensing Team
Southbrook Rise
4-8 Millbrook Road East
Southampton
SO15 1YG

Opening hours:

Members of the licensing team will normally be available at Southbrook Rise to assist personal callers on weekdays between 09:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 16:00. We may be available at other times by prior appointment.

Please note that the addresses and numbers given above should only be used for communication with the licensing team.