Licensing

On this page

• National Helpline
• Licensing Act 2003
• Licences dealt with by external agencies
• Contact us

National Helpline

For help in getting started, phone 020 7072 7447 to find out:

• whether you are affected by the Licensing Act 2003
• if you need to apply for a licence
• general information about the Licensing Act 2003.

You can email the helpline at licensing@lga.gov.uk.

The helpline does not provide technical information or answer specific queries about completing the forms, fee levels etc. For specific questions, please contact the Haringey Licensing Team, see contact us.

You can also visit the Department for Culture, Media and Sport website using the link in the external links section at the bottom of this page to find out more about the changes to the licensing laws.

Licensing Act 2003

In this section:

• Key measures of the Licensing Act 2003
• New types of licence

The Licensing Act 2003 will bring significant changes to the way licensed premises are regulated. The six existing licensing regimes covering liquor, public entertainment, theatres, cinemas, late night refreshment premises and night cafes will be brought together under a single integrated system.

The intention is to provide greater freedom and flexibility for the leisure and hospitality industry, with an emphasis on more choice for consumers. It will also cut a considerable amount of red tape for both local authorities and industry.

The Act requires each local authority to develop and publish a Statement of Licensing Policy (available in the attached files section below) in line with guidance published by the Government. It takes into account examples of best practice used elsewhere in dealing with the regulation of licensed activities. The policy must promote the four licensing objectives set out by the Act. These are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• The prevention of public nuisance
• Public safety at licensed premises
• The protection of children from harm.

The key measures of Act include

• It will no longer be the responsibility of Magistrates’ courts to grant liquor licences. Following a transitional period, Haringey Council will become the licensing authority for the area.
• Flexible opening hours for premises, designed to reduce public disorder associated with fixed closing times, allowing the potential for 24 hour opening, 7 days a week. This is subject to the consideration of the impact on local residents and businesses - licensing representations.
• Both applicants for licences and objectors will have the right to appeal to the Magistrates’ court if their representations have not been taken properly into account.
• The police will be given tougher powers to close licensed premises for up to 24 hours where disorder is occurring.

Future licence applications will require the applicant to apply to the local council for all types of licence. Current licence holders will have to apply to the Council to have existing licences converted to the new type.

New Types of Licence

The Licensing Act 2003 states that a licence is required where any of the following licensable activities are taking place:

• The sale of or supply of alcohol
• The supply of alcohol to members of registered clubs and their guests
• The provision of regulated entertainment (e.g. performance of a play, an exhibition of a film, sporting event)
• The supply of hot food or drink between the hours of 11pm and 5am, for consumption on or off the premises (this will include mobile food vans).

The Licensing Act 2003 introduces four new types of licence, which are as follows:

• Personal Licence
• Premises Licence
• Club Premises Certificate
• Temporary Event Notice

Completed forms should be returned to the relevant authorities as shown in Licensing Contacts.

Licences dealt with by external agencies

The Commission for Social Care Inspection deals with licensing of Nursing Agencies

The Public Carriage Office deals with licences for:

• Taxis: Hackney carriage vehicles and drivers
• Private hire vehicles, drivers and operators.

To find out more about these external agencies, follow the links in the external links section at the bottom of this page.

Contact

Licensing Team
Commercial Services
Urban Environment
Units 271-272
Lee Valley Technopark
Ashley Road
Tottenham
London
N17 9LN

Tel 020 8489 8232
Fax 020 8489 5528

Email licensing@haringey.gov.uk

Attached Files

Filename	Filetype	Size
New Statement of Licensing Policy .pdf	PDF	369K
PDF documents require Adobe Acrobat reader. Please click here to download.

Useful External Links

The following links are not part of the Haringey Council website. Please read our legal disclaimer before using these links

• Licensing Act 2003 information from culture.gov.uk
• Public Carriage Office (on the Transport for London website)

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