A guide on the display of public notices
You will need to advertise new/variation applications for premises licences and club premises certificates in two ways:
Display of notice
For a period of not less than 28 days, starting on the day after the day the application is accepted by us (for example, if you submit your application on 14 February and it is accepted, then the start date of the 28 day period is 15 February) you must display a notice which is:
- at least A4 in size
- pale blue in colour
- printed legibly or typed in black ink in a font equal to or larger than 16
You must display the notice prominently on the premises where it can be conveniently read from the outside by passers-by. If your premises are more than 50 metres square, a further copy or copies of the notice must be displayed every 50 metres along the perimeter of your premises, again where passers-by are able to read them.
Newspaper notice
You are also required to publish a notice containing the same information in a local newspaper circulating in the vicinity of the premises. You will need to ensure that the notice is published at least once during the period of 10 working days starting on the day after the day on which your application is accepted by us.
The newspaper advertisement must be an exact copy of the public notice displayed at the premises.
Content of notice
If you are applying for a new premises licence or club premises certificate the notices must state the relevant licensable activities or the qualifying club activities which are proposed.
If you are applying for a variation you must briefly describe the proposed variation.
In all cases the notice shall contain:
- the name of the applicant or club
- the postal address of the premises or club premises (if there is no postal address a description of the location sufficient to identify the premises)
- the postal address and, where applicable, the worldwide web address where our register is kept and where and when the record of the application may be inspected
- the date by which an interested party or responsible authority may make representations to us
- that representations shall be made in writing
- that it is an offence, knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person could be liable on summary conviction for the offence (scale 5 on the standard scale which is currently unlimited)
A guide to the display of public notices for minor variations
You'll need to advertise a minor variation application by placing a public notice on the outside of the premises.
There no requirement for a notice to be placed in a newspaper for a minor variation.
Display of notice
The notice on the premises must be displayed for a period of not less than 10 working days, starting on the first working day after the day on which your application is accepted by us (for example, if your application is accepted on a Friday then the start date of the 10 working day period will generally be the following Monday unless the Monday is a bank holiday when it would be the Tuesday).
The notice must comply with the requirements set out in the regulations and must be:
- at least A4 in size
- white in colour (not pale blue as required for a full variation/new application)
- printed legibly or typed in black ink in a font equal to or larger than 16
You must display the notice prominently on the premises where it can be conveniently read from the outside by passers-by. If any part of the premises abuts the public highway or other place accessible to the public for 100 or more metres in length a notice must be displayed at least every 50 metres along that part of the perimeter. All notices must be displayed prominently at the premises to which it relates so that it can be read easily from the exterior of the premises.
Content of notice
In all cases the notice shall contain:
- For an application made in relation to a premises licence, at or near the top of the notice, the heading must read: Licensing Act 2003: Minor Variation of Premises Licence (printed or typed to a font size to or larger than 32)
- For an application made in relation to a club premises certificate, at or near the top of the notice, the heading must read Licensing Act 2003: Minor variation of a club premises certificate (printed or typed to a font size to or larger than 32)
- There must be a brief description of the proposed variation or variations (printed or typed in a font size equal to or larger than 16)
- The name of the applicant or club
- The postal address of the premises or club premises (if there is no postal address a description of the location sufficient to identify the premises)
- The postal address and, where applicable, the web address where the our register is kept and where and when the record of the application may be inspected
- A statement that any representation must be in writing
- The date by which an interested party or responsible authority may make representations to us (within the 10 working days from the working day after the working day we receive the application)
- That it is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person could be liable on summary conviction for the offence (scale 5 on the standard scale which is currently unlimited)