Licenses are required for some activities that could cause problems for the public if they were not controlled.

A licence is required by anybody who wishes to sell alcohol to the public. The licence is granted for the premises from which the alcohol will be sold such as a pub, hotel, night club, restaurant or "off licence".

To get the licence an application is made to the City's Licensing Board. The Board has control over:

• NEW LICENCES
• REGULAR EXTENSIONS of standard opening hours for premises.

The permitted hours for normal trading for Licensed Premises are:

Standard opening hours for licensed premises are:

Mon – Sat 11.00am – 11.00pm
Sun 12.30pm – 2.30pm
6.30pm – 11.00pm

Off-licence hours are

Mon – Sat 8.00am – 10pm
Sun 12.30pm – 10pm

The basis for granting extensions of opening hours is that the social circumstances of the area, or activities taking place, justify extra hours. Examples might be shift workers finishing work when pubs would normally be shut, or people going for a drink after a visit to the theatre.

How You Find Out About Licensing Applications

All applications for new licences and regular extensions are advertised in the Evening News, about four weeks before the appropriate Licensing Board meeting.

Applicants for a new licence must also display a site notice outside the premises. This notice must be displayed for at least 21 days before the day of the Licensing Board meeting. A copy must also be sent to every other occupier within the building.