Variation of Licences
If you wish to change any aspect of your licence or club certificate once it has been granted, you will need to apply to your local council for either a full or a minor variation.
Full variations: The full variation process is very similar to the application process for a new premises licence and the fee is the same. You should use this process if you want to make a substantial change to your licence, for example, increasing the hours when you sell alcohol. Such as;
- Permanent or significant changes to opening hours;
- Adding licensable activities; and
- Premises extensions or changes
Minor variations: If you want to make a small, low-risk change to your premises licence, you may be able to use the minor variation process. This is cheaper and quicker than the full variation application. Small changes could include;
- removing a licensable activity
- reducing the hours you sell alcohol
- making small changes to the layout of your premises
If you apply for a minor variation and your application is rejected, you will not be able to appeal. However, you can reapply using the full variation process. While a minor variation application does not need to be advertised or copies sent to responsible authorities in the same way as a full variation, it must be displayed on a notice for 10 working days.
Application to vary licence to specify individual as premises supervisor: The holder of a premises licence apply to vary the licence so as to specify the individual named in the application as a DPS. This application must be accompanied by a DPS consent form and the premises licence, if that is not practicable a statement of the reasons for the failure to provide the licence. Notice of this application must be given to the chief officer of police. Where a chief officer of police notified that the exceptional circumstances of the case are such that granting the application would undermine the crime prevention objective, he must give the relevant licensing authority a notice stating the reasons why he is so satisfied within the period of 14 days. A hearing can be set for this case.
Where an individual wishes to cease being the designated premises supervisor in respect of a premises licence, he may give the relevant licensing authority a notice to that effect.
Transfer of a premises licence: The process is very similar to the DPS variation, when a licensed premises changes hands, the new owner (who must be 18 or over), company or organisation applies to the licensing authority for the premises licence to be transferred from the previous holder. The new premises licence holder due to notify the DPS of transfer.
