Your shout/Advice zone
Don't fall foul of the licensing authorities
Here at Poppleston Allen we are concerned that some licensees will be caught out by the new licensing system, convinced that their existing licence is still valid. Essentially, all current licence holders will be unable to trade under their current licence after the second appointed day (a date the Government has yet to confirm, but probably some time in November).
We are worried that many will look at the validity of their current licences, which may run to 2007, and believe that this new law doesn't concern them. This isn't the case, of course, and some licensees will have the shutters brought down on their businesses on the second appointed day.
From 7 February this year, about 400 local authorities should have been processing new licence applications. So far there have been very few applications made - yet authorities face the prospect of processing licence applications for about 186,000 licensed premises in England and Wales, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of new Personal Licences that will need to be processed.
With the numbers of applications to be dealt with by the local authorities, it makes sense to apply as early as you possibly can. If you wish to vary your Premises Licence you must apply for conversion at the same time. If your Premises Licence is declared final or granted after the first appointed day, it cannot be converted.
One important factor that seems to have escaped much of the talk surrounding the conversion of existing licences is the need for applications to be submitted by 6 August to guarantee conversion.
www.popall.co.uk/licensingreform