how to get an off licence

Many of our clients ask how can they sell alcohol from their shop or mini market if they do not currently sell alcohol? As a company we specialise in preparing new alcohol licence applications for off licence premises. To become an off licence you firstly need to licence the shop or premises to for the sale of alcohol off and away from the premises, hence the term off licence or beer off. Under the old 1964 licensing Act there where both on licences, off licences or both. The tradition off licence only sold beer, wine and spirits plus normally crisps and confectionery. In more recent times many convenience stores. mini markets and supermarkets now sell alcohol off the premises (off licence). off licence licence or licences as they are some times refered to are now known as a premises licence or premise licence. all new off licence applications are now granted under the licensing Act 2003 in England and Wales. unlike under the old licensing law off licence hours are no longer restricted and applicants can now apply to trade for longer hours as long as the new off licence application does not undermine any of the four licensing objectives under the 2003 licensing Act. A new application for a new off license has to be submitted to the local councils licensing authority and all of the responsible authorities including the police within the council area where the proposed off licence is to be sited.

Off Licence History
Off-licence (sometimes known as off-sales, Offie or beer-off) is a term used in the United Kingdom and Ireland for a shop licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises, as opposed to a bar or public house which is licensed for consumption at the point of sale (on-licence). The term also applies to the licence granted to the establishment itself.
Off-licences typically are specialist shops, convenience stores, parts of supermarkets, or attached to bars and pubs. Prices are usually substantially lower than in bars or pubs.

In the United Kingdom, the "off licence" status of a shop could once be used as a device to circumvent restrictive trading laws, particularly those concerning Sunday trading. Depending on local by-laws, shops might be either required to close at 12:00 once a week, or else not be allowed to trade in the evening. Shops with an off licence made their hours similar to those of public houses, opening during lunch hours and from early evening to the mandatory closing time, usually 22:30 or 23:00. The Sunday Trading Act 1994 altered the situation somewhat.

Now under the new licensing Act 2003 many off licence premises now trade from 07.00 until 00.00 hours 7 days a week with no restrictions on Sunday, Good Friday or Christmas Day some supermarkets and off licences are open 24 hours.

The police will normally play a big part in the granting of hours for a new off licence as each application must be considered by the police licensing officer for the local community. If he or she has concerns that the application may undermine one of the licensing objectives or lead to more anti-social behavior in a given area the the police licensing officer may make an objection to the hours applied for or object to the off licence application completely. This then would lead to a hearing before the local councils licensing committee, where the applicant, their representative and the police can voice their opinions. The final decision to grant or not grant the off licence application is made by the licensing committee at the hearing.

Personal Licence Training Limited have a professional licensing team of experts who submit hundreds of new off licence applications each year our current success rate is 98% applicable also have a right of appeal before the Licensing Magistrates should a application for an off licence be refused.