If any changes are required to what is authorised by your premises licence, you are required to make an application to vary the licence. Possible changes include:
- varying the hours during which a licensable activity is permitted;
- adding licensable activities;
- amending, adding or removing conditions within a licence;
- altering any aspect of the layout of the premises which is shown on the plan.
Depending on the proposed changes, it may be possible for you to submit a ‘minor variation’ application.
You can read the full legislation here.
How to apply
You must attach:
- Plan of the premises (only required if the variation includes changes to the internal layout of the premises); and
- Current licence
- Statutory notice (This must be printed and displayed on pale blue paper)
Apply to vary a premise licence and guidance notes >
Fees
The NDRV of any premises can be checked on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). NDRV is revalued every 5 years. Premises that do not have a non-domestic rateable value are treated as falling into Band A for licensing fee purposes.
Premises licence and club premise fees.
Processing and timescales
If posting the application, you are required to also serve a copy of the application, including the accompanying documentation, to the Responsible Authorities on the same day as the application is given to us. If the application is submitted electronically, we will provide copies to the Responsible Authorities by no later than the first working day after the application is received.
The consultation period is 28 days from receipt of the application. At the end of the consultation period if no representations have been made the certificate will be granted and issued within a further 28 days.
As part of the application process, you must advertise your premises licence notice in two ways:
- Display a statutory notice at your premises for 28 consecutive days starting on the day after you submitted your application. This notice must be printed on pale blue paper, and be displayed so that it can be easily read from outside the premises at all times.
- Publish a public notice in a locally available newspaper, on one occasion, within 10 working days of submitting your application
If relevant representations are made against the application, a hearing will be held within 20 working days following the end of the consultation period, where the matter will be decided by the Licensing Sub-Committee. A notice will be sent within 10 working days of the decision being made.
If no relevant representations (i.e. representations that were not deemed frivolous or vexatious) are received against your application, it will be granted as applied for upon completion of the consultation period.
A hearing must be held if any relevant representations are made (and not withdrawn) in respect of the application. If a hearing is held the licence can be granted or granted subject to additional conditions, licensable activities listed in the application can be excluded or the application can be rejected. We will send the decision to the applicant, along with any persons who made relevant representations and the chief of police.
Validity and renewals
The licence is valid whilst the premises is used for licensable activities and is subject to an annual fee.
Complaints
Contact us in the first instance.
A failed applicant will receive notice of the refusal from us. If an application is rejected, the applicant may appeal the decision.
A licence holder can appeal against a decision to put conditions on the licence or to exclude any activity.
All appeals must be made to the local Magistrates court within 21 days of the decision appealed.