Licensed Premises Staff Training

The alcohol licensing laws of the United Kingdom regulate the sale and consumption of alcohol. It is important for anyone working in licensed premises to have a basic understanding of these laws and how they apply to them. This licensed premises staff training course is designed for those who serve and sell alcohol and instructs on how to operate within the law while serving alcohol to the public. The outlet is not necessarily a pub or restaurant but could be a private clubs, festivals or other occasional events.

This course starts with an overview of UK alcohol licensing act, 2003, and the importance of the four key licensing objectives. These are:

• To prevent crime and disorder
• To promote public safety
• To prevent public nuisance
• To protect children from harm

• pubs and bars
• restaurants
• nightclubs
• cinemas and theatres

• supermarkets
• off licences
• hotels
• late night cafes

The main types of licences required under UK law are defined as follows:

• A Premises Licence – which is needed for any business or other organisation that sells or supplies alcohol on a permanent basis. Any organisation, business or individual who wishes to sell or supply alcohol in England and Wales must have a licence or other authorization. This is obtained from a licencing authority, which in most cases is the local council. The Home Office is responsible for overseeing law and policy in this area.
• A Personal Licence is needed by anyone who plans to sell or supply alcohol or authorise the sale or supply of alcohol. A personal licence is issued by the licencing authority to an individual allowing them to sell or authorise the sale of alcohol on licenced premises.
• A Club Premises Certificate is needed by qualifying clubs if they plan to sell or supply alcohol. This could include members clubs or sports clubs.

The course details the duties of the designated premises supervisor (DPS) of businesses that sell alcohol. A DPS is the person who is legally held accountable and is the main point of contact for police and local government officials. All businesses and organisations selling or supplying alcohol must have a DPS, with the exceptions of members clubs and certain community premises.

Licencing authorities are the bodies responsible for carrying out all licencing functions in an area. Their main jobs are to

• establish a licencing committee of 10 to 15 members
• publish a licencing policy every five years. This will show how the licencing authority will promote the licencing objectives
• administer the licencing system.
• keep a register of licences and
• issue licences and
• act as a responsible authority.

If you’re applying for any type of licence connected with selling alcohol, providing regulated entertainment or late night refreshment, you will need to submit an application.

The course gives guidance on the application process and associated fees. The course also details compliance regulations for the various types of businesses that sell alcohol and handle its distribution.  Where a business is being prosecuted under the licensing laws, the course covers how the business can use due diligence as a defence against their conviction.

Everyone working on licenced premises has a legal responsibility to protect under 18s from harm, including

• psychological harm from unsuitable or adult content,
• physical harm from unsafe premises, and
• harm to health from consuming alcohol.

You will learn in detail how the law protects Under 18s and the restrictions that apply to premises that serve alcohol. The penalties for selling alcohol to under 18 could be an unlimited fine if found guilty in court. Persistent offenders, caught selling alcohol to under 18s, could face prosecution with an unlimited maximum fine and /or suspension of the premises licence for up to three months.

Details of the alcohol content of different types of drinks are included in the course, which are abbreviated as ABV (alcohol by volume). License holders must provide customers with accurate information regarding alcohol content and the availability of small measures. They usually do this by the way of a price list which should feature the drink, the ABV, the measure and the price of each measure.

All licenced premises must promote lower risk drinking and, in the course material, you will be given details of how to meet these legal obligations. The premises licence holder, the DPS and those with the authority to sell alcohol have a legal duty to

• prevent disorderly conduct and
• refuse to serve a person who is drunk and
• ask disorderly or drunk and people to leave.
• It’s an offence to turn a blind eye to drug activity.