A Club Premises Certificate is required in respect of any premises or part of a premises where it is intended to carry on qualifying club activities, which includes the supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and the provision of hot food between 11pm and 5am.
To apply for the grant of a Club Premises Certificate, the club must send to the Licensing Authority:-
- a completed application form
- a plan to the scale of 1:100 of the premises to which the relevant certificate/s relate;
- a copy of the club rule book;
- a declaration as to qualifying club status;
- the fee based upon the premises non-domestic rateable value
and the application must specify: -
- the qualifying club activities proposed under the certificate.
The plan shall 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 egress from the premises;
- the location of escape routes from the premises;
- in a case where the premises is to be used for more than one licensable 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 without impediment;
- in a case where the premises includes a stage or raised area, the location and height of each stage or area relative to the floor;
- in a case where the premises includes any steps, stairs, elevators or lifts, the location of the steps, stairs, elevators or lifts;
- in the case where the premises includes any room or rooms containing public conveniences, the location of the room or rooms;
- the location and type of any fire safety and any other safety equipment including, if applicable, marine safety equipment;
- and the location of a kitchen, if any, on the premises.
The plan may include a legend through which the matters mentioned or referred to above are sufficiently illustrated by the use of symbols on the plan.
A notice must be displayed at or on the premises to which the application relates, where it can be conveniently read from the exterior of the premises, for a period of not less than 28 consecutive days from the day following the day the application was given to the Licensing Authority. Where the premises cover an area of more than 50 square meters, a further identical notice must be displayed every 50 metres along the external perimeter of the premises abutting any highway. The notice must be on pale blue paper sized A4 or larger and printed legibly in black ink or typed in black in a font size equal to or larger than 16.
The notice must state:-
- details of the relevant licensable activities that it is proposed will be carried on or from the premises, or in the case of an application to vary the licence, a brief description of the proposed variation,
- the name of the applicant,
- the postal address of the premises, or in the case where there is no postal address, a description of the premises sufficient to enable the location and extent of the premises to be identified,
- the postal address and (where applicable) the worldwide web address where the register of the relevant licensing authority 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 the relevant licensing authority and that representations should 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 is liable on summary conviction for the offence.
A notice, containing the same details, must be published in a local newspaper or similar document on at least one occasion during the period of 10 working days following the day after giving the application to the Licensing Authority. Copies of the application form and plan must also be sent to all responsible authorities. Responsible authorities and interested parties will be able to make representations against the application. If there are no representations the licence will be granted. If there are representations a hearing will be held before the Licensing Sub Committee.
Variation of Club Premises Certificate
To apply for variation of a Club Premises Certificate the same procedure as that of applying for a new certificate must be followed, except: -
- there is no need for a further declaration of qualifying club status, and
- the Club Premises Certificate must also be sent with the application to the Licensing Authority.
The fee for variation is the same as for grant of the certificate. Responsible authorities and interested parties will be able to make representations against the application. If there are no representations the licence will be granted. If there are representations a hearing will be held before the Licensing Sub Committee.
Application forms are in the Related Content section.