Late night refreshment

Any person who supplies hot food to the public at or from premises after 11pm is required to hold a Premises Licence under the Licensing Act 2003.

Applicants should refer to the Licensing Act 2003 content of this site.

About this service

From November 24th 2005 takeaway premises and premises delivering hot food are required to hold a Premises Licence if they are open for the sale of hot food after 11pm. The application process does not just involve the local authority but many other agencies, including people living in the vicinity of the premises, and is prescribed by regulations made by the Government.

The application process gives all responsible authorities and local residents the right to make representations (objections) to the application.  

Applicants must show they have addressed the Council's Licensing Policy in their application.Individual applicants must be over 18 years of age. Other applicants e.g companies, charities etc may apply. If alcohol is served a Personal Licence holder must be nominated as the Designated Premises Supervisor.

What you must do

Applicants must complete the relevant application forms and serve them on all responsible authorities.

What we must do

Applications must be processed within 20 working days of receipt by all responsible authorities.

The applicant will be informed of any objections and if negotiations cannot resolve the issues then the matter will be determined by the Authority's Licensing sub-committee.

The applicant and all responsible authorities have a right of appeal against the sub-committee's decision to the Magistrate's Court.  

What happens next?

Applications must be processed within 20 working days.

The applicant will be notified of any subsequent hearing within 10 working days of the expiry of the application period.

What are the charges for this service?

The cost of the Premises Licence is dependent on the Rateable Value of the premises.

Some frequently asked questions

Why do I need to licence now when I didn't before?

The Licensing Act 2003 now requires takeaways to licence if they are open after 11pm. This is a new piece of legislation which requires premises to be run in a way which addresses the licensing objectives of

1. Prevention of public nuisance

2. Public safety

3. Prevention of crime and disorder

4. Protection of children