New application for a premises licence

If you run a business in Cheltenham borough that carries out any of the activities listed below you will need a licence issued by Cheltenham Borough Council:

Sale by retail of alcohol
Provision of hot food or beverages at any time between 11pm and 5am
Provision of regulated entertainment, including live or recorded music, plays and sporting events

The licence you must apply for is a premises licence. This is for your premises and is address specific.

If your premises licence will include the retail sale of alcohol, you will also need to nominate someone with a personal licence to act as the designated premises supervisor (DPS).

You can apply for pre-application advice and assistance with your application.

How to apply

To make an application for a new premises licence you need to submit to us:

The application form
A designated premises supervisor (DPS) consent form
A scale plan of the premises
Documents to show your right to work in the UK (if you're applying as an individual)

Designated premises supervisor (DPS) consent form - doc - 173 Kb

Who can apply for a premises licence

To be eligible for a premises licence, you must confirm that you intend to carry out licensable activities at the premises to be licensed.

The following people or organisations can apply:

anyone who operates a business on the premises to which the application relates
a recognised club
a charity
a health service body
a person who is registered under the Care Standards Act 2000 in relation to an independent hospital
a chief police officer of a force in England and Wales
anyone discharging a statutory or function under His Majesty's prerogative
a person from an educational institute
any other permitted person

Scale plans

The scale plan of the premises - unless we agree in writing beforehand - must comply with the regulations. The plan should be drawn at a scale of 1:100 and must show:

the extent of the boundary of the building, if relevant, and any external and internal walls of the building and, if different, the perimeter of the premises
the location of points of access to and exit from the premises
the location of escape routes from the premises, if different from the access and exit points above
in a case where the premises is used for more than one existing licensable activity or qualifying club activity, the area within the premises used for each activity
fixed structures (including furniture) or similar objects temporarily in a fixed location (but not furniture) which may impact on the ability of individuals on the premises to use exits or escape routes
the location and height of any stage or raised area relative to the floor
the location of any steps, stairs, elevators or lifts
the location of any room(s) containing public conveniences
the location and type of any fire safety and any other safety equipment
the location of any kitchen on the premises

The plan may include a legend. Symbols can be used to illustrate the necessary features.

Operating schedule

On the application form, you must clearly identify the steps you will take to promote the four licensing objectives:

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

These steps will form part of the licensing conditions (if granted) and therefore the business’ operation.

Please think carefully about what steps you will take to promote the licensing objectives. We have additional guidance and a pool of model conditions you can refer to in Appendix C of our Licensing Policy Statement.

PDF Icon Licensing Act Policy Statement - pdf - 2.10 Mb

Fees

The licence fee is set out in law and is based on your premises’ non-domestic rateable value.

You will also be liable to pay an annual fee each year on the anniversary of the issue of the licence. We will invoice you for this.

PDF Icon Alcohol and entertainment licensing fees - pdf - 48 Kb

Consultation

Once your application is made, a statutory 28 day consultation will follow. During this time, you must advertise the application, and responsible authorities and any other person can comment on the application.

The responsible authorities that are consulted on your application are:

Gloucestershire Constabulary
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue
Public Health
Local planning authority
Health and safety enforcing authority
Child Protection
Trading Standards
Home Office's alcohol team
Environmental health

If you submit your application to us electronically (either using the online form or by email), it is our responsibility to distribute the application to the responsible authorities.

If you submit the application to us on paper, the responsibility to distribute the application to the responsible authorities is yours. You must post copies of the application form to them on the same day as you submit the application to us.

Notices

You must advertise the application during the consultation period.

Public notice in the local press

A public notice must be published in the local press within 10 working days of the application being submitted to us. Locally circulated newspapers are Gloucestershire Live or Western Daily Press.

Failure to do this will invalidate your application.

Public notice on display at the premises

A public notice must be displayed at the premises for a period of 28 consecutive days from the day after the application was given to the council.

The notice has to be at least A4 size, on pale blue paper, printed legibly in black at font size 16 or larger. It must be capable of being conveniently read by passers-by. For premises larger than 50 metres square, the notice must be displayed every 50 metres along any external perimeters that are on a highway.

Failure to do this will invalidate your application.

We provide applicants with a template to use. The regulations state that for new premises licence applications, the notice must include:

a statement of the relevant licensable activities. This should include activities with corresponding dates and times
the name of the applicant
the postal address of the premises
the date by which representations must be made

Please be as clear as you can on the description for the application.

Premises licence public notice template - docx - 13 Kb

Determination

If no relevant representations objecting to your application are made, the licence will be deemed granted on the 29th day.

If we receive relevant representations objecting to your application, we have to refer the application to a licensing sub-committee for a decision. The licensing sub-committee hearing will be held within 20 working days after the consultation period has closed.

You will be invited to attend the hearing and address the committee, along with the objectors.

Tacit consent

Tacit consent applies to this application. This means that you can assume the authorisation has been granted (subject to standard conditions that might apply) if you have not received a decision notice from us within 61 calendar days.

The timeframe above starts on receipt of an acknowledgement.