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Licensing Act 2003

The Licensing Act 2003 has had a dramatic effect on the control and administration of liquor licensing for all premises selling or supplying alcohol, providing regulated entertainment and late night refreshment in England and Wales.   In cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Sheffield, Leeds and Bristol, as well as many major towns this has led not to the "light touch" approach envisaged by the Government to well run licensed premises, but a more regulated and proactive control of them.

The main features of the Licensing Act are as follows:

• transfer of administration and control of premises licensed to sell or supply alcohol to local authorities from the Magistrates' Courts
• a single premises licence authorising all forms of licensable activities
• a dual system of personal and premises licences for alcohol premises
• abolition of 'permitted hours' - each operator can apply to open the hours they wish
• new national licensing regulations and local guidance regarding applications for new licences
• regulated entertainment and late night refreshment covered by the new Act

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