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Licensing Act 2003 - Premises Licences

• Licence Summary

• Regulation Summary

• Application Process

• How To Apply

• Guidance Notes

• Tacit Consent

• Licence Holder Redress

• Consumer Complaint

Licence Summary

A Premise Licence can be applied for to permit one or more of the following licensable activities under the Licensing Act 2003.

• Sale by retail of alcohol

• Regulated entertainment this may include plays, films, indoor sporting events, live music, recorded music, performance of dancing, anything of a similar description to live music, recorded music or performance of dance.

• Late Night Refreshment which is the provision of hot food or drinks between the hours of 23.00 hours and 05.00 hours.

Any of the following may apply for a premises licence:

• anyone who uses carries on a business in the premises to which the application relates

• a recognised club

• a charity

• a health service body

• a person who is registered under the Care Standards Act 2000 in relation to an independent hospital

• a chief police officer of a force in England and Wales

• anyone discharging a statutory or function under Her Majesty's prerogative

• a person from an educational institute

• any other permitted person

Applicants must be over the age of 18.

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Regulation Summary

Copies of relevant legislation can be found at this external site

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Application Process

Applications must be sent to the licensing authority for the area where the premises are located.

Applications must be in a specific format and be accompanied by:

• any required fee

• an operating schedule

• a plan of the premises

• and a form of consent from the premises supervisor (for applications where the sale of alcohol will be a licensable activity). Premise supervisors are required to hold a personal licence (for further details see our Personal Licence Holders page).

An operating schedule will include details of:

• the licensable activities

• the times when the activities will take place

• any other times when the premises will be open to the public

• in the case of applicants who wish to have a limited licence, the period the licence is required for

• information in respect of the premises supervisor

• whether any alcohol that is to be sold is for consumption on or of the premises or both

• the steps proposed to be taken to promote the licensing objectives

• any other required information

An application for a premises licence must be accompanied by a scaled plan of the premises to which the application relates. A premises plan must be of the standard scale 1:100 (unless previously agreed by the Licensing Authority in another format).

Applicants are required to give notice of the application to the following Responsible Authorities:

• Cleveland Police

• Cleveland Fire Brigade

• Trading Standards

• Environmental Health

• Planning

• First Contact

Please note that you are not required to notify Responsible Authorities if you are applying using the online service.

Advertising and Consultation

To advertise the application, the applicant must clearly display a Notice immediately on or outside the premises for a period of no less than twenty eight consecutive days starting on the day following the day on which the application was given to the Local Authority.

The Notice must be:

• of a size equal or larger than A4

• of a pale blue colour

• printed legibly in black ink or typed in black in a font of a size equal to or larger than 16

• For properties with a frontage onto a highway more than 50 metres long, the Notice should be displayed at at 50 metre intervals

• Additionally, the applicant must publish a notice in a local newspaper or, if there is none, in a local newsletter, circular or similar document, circulating in the vicinity of the premises. This must be advertised on at least one occasion during the period of ten working days starting on the day after the day on which the application was given to the Local Authority.

Responsible Authorities, members of the public and other interested parties have a period of 28 consecutive days, starting the day the application is made to the local authority, to consider the application and make relevant representation

Other Premises Licence Applications

Applications can also be made to Vary or Transfer a licence or to change the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). A hearing may have to be held if representations are made or conditions relating to a transfer are not met.

Other applications that can be made are applications for a Minor Variations which includes premises layouts, small adjustment to licensing hours, removal of out of date, irrelevant or unenforceable conditions and addition of volunteered conditions.  Applications can also be made for an interim authority notice following the death, incapacity or insolvency of a licence holder or review applications.

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How To Apply

To apply for a Licence please complete the appropriate form below.  If downloading and posting the application form it should be returned to the address below.

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Guidance Notes

To view guidance documents please select the appropriate link below:

Licensing Policy Statement 2011

Guidance & Information Relating To The Licensing Act 2003

Fees And Charges

Contact Details For Responsible Authorities

Format For Notice For Premises

Format For Newspaper Advertisement

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Will Tacit Consent Apply?

Tacit consent means that if we have not dealt with applications within the target period then the application can be deemed to have been granted/approved.

Minor Variations - No.  It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period, please contact us. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or use the contact details at the bottom of this page.

All other Premises Applications - Yes.  This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if no relevant representations are made during the consultation period.

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Licence Holder Redress

Any applicant who is refused a licence can appeal to their local Magistrates Court.  Please contact us in the first instance.

Any licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition attached to their licence can appeal to their local Magistrates Court.

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Consumer Complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you, preferably in the form of a letter (with proof of delivery).  If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, visit our Consumer pages or DirectGov for advice.  From outside of the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

An interested party or responsible authority may apply to the licensing authority to review the premises licence. A hearing will be held by the licensing authority.

Appeals are made to a Magistrates' court within 21 days of notice of the decision.  

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Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Trading Standards & Licensing Service,

PO Box 232, 16 Church Road, Stockton on Tees. TS18 1XD.

Telephone: 01642 526560  Fax: 01642 526584

Electronic Mail: Trading Standards or Licensing Administration

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