Club premises certificate

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Licence summary

To authorise the supply of alcohol and regulated entertainment in a qualifying club you need a club premises certificate from the local authority where the premises is situated. In a qualifying club there is technically no sale by retail of alcohol (except to guests) as the member owns part of the alcohol stock and the money passing across the bar is merely a mechanism to preserve equity between members where one may consume more than another.

In order to constitute a qualifying club you must also satisfy the various requirements set out in the Licensing Act 2003 which are listed below.

Eligibility Criteria

A qualifying club has general conditions it must satisfy. These are:

  • a person may not be given memberships or as a candidate for membership to any membership privileges without an interval of at least two days from their membership application or nomination and their membership being granted
  • that club rules state that those becoming a member without nomination or application cannot have membership privileges for at least two days between them becoming members and being admitted to the club
  • that the club is established and conducted in good faith
  • that the club has at least 25 members
  • that alcohol is only supplied to members on the premises on behalf or by the club

Additional conditions in relation to the supply of alcohol must be complied with. These conditions are:

  • that alcohol purchased for and supplied by the club is done by members of the club who are over 18 years of age and are elected to do so by the members
  • that no person at the expense of the club receives any commission, percentage or other similar payment in regard to the purchase of alcohol by the club
  • that there are no arrangements for anyone to receive a financial benefit from supplying alcohol, apart from any benefit to the club or to any person indirectly from the supply giving a gain from running the club

Registered industrial and provident societies and friendly societies will qualify if the alcohol is purchased for and supplied by the club is done under the control of the members or a committee of members.

Relevant miners’ welfare institutes can also be considered. A relevant institute is one that is managed by a committee or board that consists of at least two thirds of people appointed or elevated by one or more licensed operators under the Coal Industry Act 1994 and by one or more organisations who represent coal mine employees. The institute can be managed by the committee or board where the board cannot be made up as detailed above but is made up of at least two thirds of members who were employed or are employed in or around coal mines and also by people who were appointed by the Coal Industry Welfare Organisation or by a body who had similar functions under the Miners’ Welfare Act 1952. In any case the premises of the institute must be held on a trust as required under the Recreational Charities Act 1958.

Regulation Summary

Licensing Act 2003

Application Evaluation Process

A club can apply for a club premises certificate for any premises which are occupied and used regularly for club purposes. Applications should be made to West Lindsey District Council.

Applications must be in a specific format and be accompanied by:

  • any required fee
  • a club operating schedule
  • a plan of the premises
  • a copy of the rules of the club

A club operating schedule is a document which must be in a specific format and which includes information on:

  • the activities of the club
  • the times the activities are to take place
  • other opening times
  • if alcohol supplies are for consumption on or off the premises or both
  • the steps that the club propose to take to promote the licensing objectives
  • any other information that is required

Plan of the Premises

An application for a club premises certificate must be accompanied by a scaled plan of the premises to which the application relates. A premises plan must be of the standard scale 1:100 (unless previously agreed by ourselves in another format).

Responsible Authorities

Applicants are required to give notice of the application to Responsible Authorities as detailed in the guidance below.

Advertising and Consultation

To advertise the application, the applicant must clearly display a Notice immediately on or outside the premises for a period of no less than twenty eight consecutive days starting on the day following the day on which the application was given to West Lindsey District Council.

The Notice must be:

  • of a size equal or larger than A4
  • of a pale blue colour
  • printed legibly in black ink or typed in black in a font of a size equal to or larger than 16
  • for properties with a frontage onto a highway more than 50 metres long, the notice should be displayed at 50 metre intervals
  • additionally, the applicant must publish a notice in a local newspaper or, if there is none, in a local newsletter, circular or similar document, circulating in the vicinity of the premises — this must be advertised on at least one occasion during the period of ten working days starting on the day after the day on which the application was given to West Lindsey District Council

Responsible Authorities, members of the public and other interested parties have a period of 28 consecutive days, starting the day the application is made to West Lindsey District Council, to consider the application and make relevant representation.

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from us within 28 days from the date you submitted a complete application.

How to Apply

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Or download an application form from the Downloads section on this page, completed forms needs to be returned to the address below.

Failed Application Redress

Please contact us in the first instance using the details on our contact us page.

A failed applicant will receive notice of the refusal of an application for a certificate or variation of a certificate from the local licensing authority.

If an application is rejected, the applicant may appeal the decision.

Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates Court within 21 days of the decision appealed.

Licence Holder Redress

Please contact us in the first instance.

If we refuses an application for a variation the licence holder may appeal the decision. A licence holder can appeal against a decision to put conditions on a certificate or to exclude any club activity. Appeals may also be made against the variation of any condition.

Appeals against the decision of a review can be made.

A club may appeal against the withdrawing of a certificate.

Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates Court within 21 days of the decision appealed.

Fees

A list of fees is available from the Business Licence Fees page.

Consumer Complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

A club member may request a review of the certificate. We will give reasons for our response to the application in a notice.

Appeals against the decision of a review can be made.

Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of the decision appealed.

Other Redress

Any interested party may make representations to West Lindsey District Council before the certificate is granted or before amendments to a certificate are granted. If representations are made a hearing will be held to consider the application and the representations. Notices will be made by West Lindsey District Council detailing the reasons for any outcome. Interested parties who made representations will receive notice of a failed application.

An interested party is:

  • a person living near the premises or a body representing such a person
  • a person involved in a business near the premises or a body representing such a person

An interested party may request a review of the club premises certificate. West Lindsey District  Council will give reasons for their response to the application in a notice.

An interested party may appeal if they argue that a certificate should not have been granted or that different or additional conditions or limitations on activities should have been made. They may also appeal against any variation of a condition.

Appeals against the decision of a review can be made.

Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of the decision appealed.

Trade Associations

Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA)

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Registers

Licensing registers are available to view using the following link.

Public Register

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Licensing

West Lindsey District Council
Guildhall
Marshall’s Yard
Gainsborough
DN21 2NA
United Kingdom