Hospitality Licensing Solicitors

We assist clients across a diverse range of businesses in the entertainment and hospitality. Sectors include hotels, bars, members clubs, restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, off-licences, supermarkets, sports clubs, performance venues, theatres, cinemas, art galleries and vessels.

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Expert legal support for your hospitality business

Whether you’re a new or existing operator with a single site business or have several premises sites, we can offer practical advice, guidance and take control of any licensing applications. We can work with you to achieve your objectives. Our team has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the motivation that drives industry players and the dynamics affecting the sector. We’ll be with you each step of the way. Contact us whether it be to start or continue your hospitality journey.

While our team are experts in their field, they know legal jargon can be off-putting. That’s why we’ll always talk to you in plain English. We’ll also make sure we’re available to answer any questions and explain anything you might not understand.

For a chat about the licences you might need, call us or contact us online and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

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Speak to a Legal Partner

Our team support you to navigate complexity, seize opportunity and move forward with legal clarity.

Philip Somarakis

National Head of Regulatory & Partner

Find out more

View experts

Philip Somarakis

National Head of Regulatory & Partner

Find out more

Why choose Irwin Mitchell?

Our team of experts have the know-how and experience to provide a complete legal service to licensed businesses operating in the leisure, retail, and hospitality sectors. We can assist you with all your licensing queries and applications and can provide regulatory advice, where required.

Delays in getting the appropriate licence can delay your event, delay trade, and have cost implications. By working with a specialist legal team, you can be sure your application is submitted correctly. You’ll also have the assurance that if the matter becomes contentious or a hearing is needed, you’ll be supported by a team of expert lawyers.

The process of obtaining the correct licence for your business can be onerous. Equally, being subject to a licence review or having your licence revoked can be devastating. Seeking help and advice from one of our expert alcohol and entertainment licensing lawyers can make the process much smoother, less stressful, and more efficient than attempting to navigate licensing law yourself.

We can offer support to investors and start-ups as follows:

Undertake due diligence on licensing and regulatory issues for investors wishing to acquire assets and/or companies
Work alongside both corporate and property lawyers undertaking transactional work, to include providing support for pre-contract enquiries as well as providing guidance on appropriate wording for asset purchase/sale and purchase agreements, and agreements for lease
Conduct audits on premises licences and approved licensing plans
Arrange for appropriate licensing applications to be made on completion
Provide expert advice to investors on licensing issues arising from insolvency or bankruptcy
Register a landlord’s interest in licensed premises
Obtain a shadow licence
Provide detailed pre-application advice to investors and start-ups to include and assessment of percentage chances of success in obtaining a satisfactory premises licence.

We’ve worked with various licensing authorities over the years and the benefit of our experience, enables us to anticipate the likely approach of these authorities and to prepare applications, as far as possible, to achieve the best possible outcome for you.

Things don’t always go to plan and if something does go wrong it is important to make sure you have a team well-equipped to fight your corner. We regularly help clients to successfully appeal a licensing committee decision and advise them when their licences are under review. We also have a strong background in successfully representing clients who have been subject to criminal proceedings for underage sales and/or breach of licence conditions.

We have offices around the UK, which means there’ll be an expert close by. We’ll be fully flexible to your needs.

Speak to a specialist

We are here to help you understand your rights and the support you need. Complete our enquiry form and one of our experts will contact you by the next working day.

Alternatively, you can call us now.

Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm (Excluding Public Holidays).

Call us free on 0370 1500 100

Here’s how it works

This is how we’ll start working together

Complete our online form
We need a few details to understand your situation and the kind of support you need.
We’ll contact you by phone
On the call our experts will ask you a few more questions to make sure we connect you with the right legal advice from our team.
We arrange a full appointment
Your next step is an in-depth appointment with a specialist solicitor to discuss how we could advise you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much will it cost to get my licences?

The cost will depend on the type of licences you require. Please refer to our pricing page for further details and/or contact us if you have any queries.

Our experts can offer more guidance on the potential costs depending on your requirements. Contact us for more information.

What licences do I need?

There are many different types of licences. The ones you’ll need will depend on your intentions for your business.

Here are some of the licences you’ll need to consider getting:

1. Food business licence

If you plan to serve hot food at your business, you’ll need to register with your local council as a food business.

You must register your food business at least 28 days before opening.

If you’re unsure which council oversees your area and you need help registering, we’re here for you. Contact us to get expert help.

2. Premises licence

If you want to sell alcohol you’ll need two licences: 1/ a personal licence; and 2/ a premises licence.

A premises licence is needed to sell or supply alcohol and/or provide regulated entertainment and/or provide late night refreshment (i.e. If you want to serve hot food and drinks between the hours of 11pm and 5am).

When applying for your premises licence, you’ll need to demonstrate how you will uphold the licensing objectives:

The prevention of crime and disorder
Public safety
The prevention of public nuisance
The protection of children from harm

You’ll also need to provide a detailed plan of your premises. There are several requirements which the drawing must comply with including (but not limited to) that it must be drawn to a scale, a red line must be drawn around the area to be licensed and it must include fire safety features.

We can advise on and deal with the whole process and have connections with architects and personal licence course providers, to ensure a smooth and complete application process.

3. Personal licence

You will need a personal licence to authorise alcohol sales. Every premises with alcohol sales must have a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) named in its Premises Licence and to be a DPS, you must hold a personal licence

Not everyone in your business needs to have a personal licence. Usually, a premises will have one personal licence holder to oversee and authorise the sale of alcohol.

We’ve course provider contacts who we can refer you to, to start the process of obtaining your personal licence.

4. Music licence

You’ll need a licence to play any type of music. This includes:

Recorded music, such as Spotify, CD, radio, or TV music channel
Live music.

5. TV licence

If you have a TV in a communal area, or if you’re a hotel owner with a TV in multiple rooms, you’ll need a TV licence.

A single TV licence will cost £159 per year and will cover up to 15 rooms. If you’ve more than 15 rooms, there’s an additional fee to pay.

6. Pavement licence / Tables and Chairs Licences

Depending on the location of your business, you might need a pavement licence, if you wish to place tables and chairs outside your business on a public highway.

Find out more about pavement licences.

7. Marriage/Civil Ceremonies Licence

You'll need this licence to allow any marriage or civil partnership ceremonies to take place at your premises.

This is in addition to any other licence you might need for licensable activities such as the sale or supply of alcohol.

8. Special Treatment Licences

You will need this type of licence if you offer certain treatments to the public such as massages, tattooing, laser, manicures, acupuncture, cosmetic piercings, electrical treatments and other similar treatments. It also includes saunas, steam rooms and other baths.

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Past clients

Acting for an exclusive West-End nightclub, in preparing temporary event notices covering major events throughout the year.
We successfully obtained a new premises licence for a client who operates in a cumulative impact zone. Despite objections from residents and interest groups, the application was granted following a methodical approach.
We negotiated with the local council to allow a premises to continue trading following the lapse of its licences, due to the insolvency of the premises licence holder. This saved the business from losing tens of thousands of pounds in revenue before being able to obtain a new licence.
We successfully obtained a new premises licence for an off-licence operator where the site was located within a cumulative impact zone and where the council had not granted any new licences since 2018.
Acting for a historic members club in its refurbishment project which involved advising on all licensing related issues.
Obtaining a shadow premises licence in respect of a premises under Westminster City Council.

Irwin Mitchell Scotland

Scottish cases will be handled by the Scottish law firm with which we are associated, Irwin Mitchell Scotland LLP. The law relating to funding is different in Scotland and you will receive separate advice about what that means as well as a separate funding agreement.