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In the United Kingdom, the sale of alcohol is restricted to pubs, restaurants, shops and other premises licensed by the local authority.
The individual responsible for the premises must also hold a personal licence. Premises licences include on-licences (allowing consumption of alcohol on the premises) and off-licences (alcohol must be removed from the vendor and drunk elsewhere). Some on-licensed premises also permit off-sales.
Purchase of Alcohol
The age at which people are legally allowed to purchase alcoholic beverages is 18 (but 16 year olds can have beer, wine, and cider purchased for them in restaurants and separate eating areas of pubs) by an adult, as long as the adult remains with the young person.
Alcohol and entertainment licensing is the subject of separate legislation for England and Wales / Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The Licensing Act 2003 reformed the licensing laws in England and Wales.
The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 brought the same reforms to Scotland.
Licensable activities are defined as:
• the retail sale of alcohol
• the supply of alcohol in clubs
• the provision of late night refreshment
• the provision of regulated entertainment
In turn, "regulated entertainment" is defined as:
• a performance of a play
• an exhibition of a film
• an indoor sporting event
• a boxing or wrestling entertainment (both indoors and outdoors)
• a performance of live music
• any playing of recorded music
• a performance of dance
• entertainment of a similar description to that falling in the previous three categories listed above
There is an exception for Morris dancing.
"Late night refreshment" is defined as: The supply of hot food or drink (that is, food or drink that is either served at or has been heated on the premises to, a point above ambient temperature) to the public for consumption, both on or off the premises, between 23:00 and 05:00.
Licensing authorities
The licensing authorities are local councils. In two-tier parts of England these are the district / borough councils and elsewhere the unitary authority is the licensing authority. In Scotland each council has a Licensing Board to act as licensing authority.
For a premises licence, the licensing authority is the council for the place where the premises are (and where they straddle a boundary the applicant may choose which one). For a personal licence it is the licensing authority in whose area the applicant lives.
Buffet Caterers
Are allowed to include alcohol on the menu so long as it is part of an overall package to a private party and is not sold as separately.
Temporary or occasional events / licenses
If a proposed temporary event includes a licensable activity in premises that do not hold a Premises Licence, a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) is required.
This is also the case when a Premises Licence is in force, but not for the activity proposed or time required.
A TEN can be issued for events where no more than 499 people are likely to attend at any one time, or where the event lasts less than 96 hours.
An application for a TEN in the prescribed form should be sent to the council (with the correct fee) and a copy to the Police at least 10 clear working days before the function. If the Police do not object to the function, it can go ahead. Someone who holds a Personal Licence will be able to hold up to 50 Temporary Events annually, but only 12 times in any calendar year in respect of any particular premises. Non Personal Licence holders can hold up to 5 in any calendar year.
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