Selling alcohol in the winter season? Get properly licensed

No sooner than the “back to School” posters get folded away then our thoughts turn to the winter season. The sound of waves on the beach a distant memory as the sound of sleigh bells gets every nearer. Now is the time to get ready so Rudolph and his merry chums don’t catch you unprepared. 

A classic thing to overlook is your alcohol licensing, with traders caught unawares or at the mercy of their local authorities as they await approvals. Even though it is the season of goodwill, licensing can take longer than you think!   

Time to get Personal 

Whether you have premises or not you are going to need a Personal License Holder if you sell alcohol. The key words here are “sell alcohol” – wherever there is a sale to a member of the public then there is mostly likely the requirement to have a personal license holder. This includes drinks sold as a bundle but not free wine at an opening event for example. 

And by the way, when we mean sell alcohol this would extend to items like vodka in jelly or whatever you can dream up. Aunt Maud’s alcoholic chocolate liqueurs are exempt though… 

Hold That License 

A Personal License Holder is someone who oversees the selling of alcohol in your business and in particular takes responsibility how your staff go about this. They don’t need to be there all the time as long as they are in charge of the selling process and who is doing it. 

For a mobile business the owner is likely to be the License Holder. If you have multiple units or premises then you might have other managers who have a better view of things, which makes them a natural fit. 

How do I get one? 

You will need to apply for a Personal License from your local council – that is the one where you live. There are a few steps but before you start you need to pass a qualification! 

First, every Personal License Holder needs to have a qualification called the “Level 2 Award for Personal License Holders”. Don’t worry – it is quite straightforward to achieve this and you don’t need to wear a gown and strange hat at any point in the process. NCASS have an approved partner, The Digital College, who offer an online version of the qualification which is quick and easy to work through at a time that suits you. What’s more NCASS members are eligible for a special discounted price. << Speak to your account manager or click here for more info.  >> 

Once you have your qualification in the bag you need to follow these steps. 

1. Obtain a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. (This is the new version of the CRB check). 

1. Get two passport sized photos signed by a professional to prove your identity 

1. Submit the application form, your qualification certificate, your DBS check and two photos to your local authority 

1. Pay the local authority application fee, which will be around £40 

Be warned – it can take over a month for a local authority to approve your application. 

The Shortcut 

Running a hospitality business is hard enough without filling in paperwork and chasing your local authority for the finished product. The Digital College can do all the hard work for you and handle the paperwork once you have passed the qualification. NCASS members get an exclusive discount off this service. Click here for more details. 

It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas! 

Ok maybe it isn’t but planning for the new season is well under way.  Sort out your alcohol licensing early and avoid any delays with applications. You can then focus on your business and let Santa worry about everyone else.