Compliance visits - licensed premises

We carry out compliance visits on all licensed premises in Preston to check that the following licensing objectives are being met:

• Prevention of Crime & Disorder
• Public Safety
• Prevention of Public Nuisance
• Protection of Children from Harm

What are the compliance requirements?

Below is the compliance requirements for different premises types:

• Compliance visits - pubs and clubs
• Compliance visits - personal licence holders

When do we carry out visits?

We visit at any reasonable time, but avoid busy periods to ensure staff are able to assist us with our visit.

Our officers will always carry their identification cards and ask to speak to the person in-charge.

How do we carry out visits?

Officers will check compliance with the condition that is attached to your licence.

Although many premises licences contain similar conditions some will vary slightly depending on their offer.

Licence holders and Designated Premises Supervisors should ensure they are familiar with the requirements of their licence or certificate.

You can check the specific requirements of your licence or certificate in our licensing public registers.

What happens after a visit?

Following the visit, a letter will be sent to the licence or certificate holder listing any issues and offer advice on how the premises can achieve compliance.

A copy of the letter with also be sent to the Designated Premises Supervisor at the premises if applicable.

We will usually revisit premises that are not compliant to check that any issues have been resolved.

Closure notices

In some circumstances an officer may serve a closure notice where:

• premises are being used, or have been used within the last 24 hours, for the sale of alcohol without authorisation, for example premises licence, club premises certificate or temporary event notice, or not in accordance with the conditions of a premises licence
• Failure to rectify a breach of conditions within a reasonable timescale following a compliance visit
• Premises that have a poor history of compliance with repeated or persistent non-compliance

Prosecution

Prosecution of a premises licence holder is rare. Usually this would only occur in the following circumstances:

• serious breach of conditions
• failure to rectify a breach of conditions within a reasonable timescale following a compliance visit
• premises have a poor history of compliance with repeated or persistent non-compliance
• following a closure order issued by a court

Please note: prosecutions take place in the criminal courts. The courts can impose fines or even custodial sentences for breaches of the Legislation.gov - Licensing Act 2003.

Licensing review hearings

The licensing committee may hold a licence review hearing in the following cases:

• serious breach of conditions
• failure to rectify a breach of conditions within a reasonable timescale following a compliance visit
• premises have a poor history of compliance with repeated or persistent non-compliance
• following a closure order issued by a court
• instead of or following a prosecution

Following a hearing the licensing committee has the power to:

• impose, change or remove operating conditions on the premises licence
• suspend or revoke a premises licence
• remove the designated premises supervisors

Current hearings

For details of current hearings please visit application notices and licence reviews.