The UK Home Office has announced that following a consultation it will not be extending the provisions which allow all licensed premises to sell off sales. This worked alongside pavement licensing, enabling hospitality venues to easily create seated areas outside their premises. This decision will impact on a number of licensed premises across the city. Bristol City Council is actively supporting hospitality businesses to acquire the relevant licencing variation.
The UK Home Office has announced that following a consultation it will not be extending the provisions which allow all licensed premises to sell off sales.
This worked alongside pavement licensing, enabling hospitality venues to easily create seated areas outside their premises. This decision will impact on a number of licensed premises across the city.
Bristol City Council licencing teams have been contacting businesses in the hospitality trade with the following message:
We appreciate it will come as a disappointment to many in the hospitality sector that the government has taken this decision to stop hospitality venues automatically having the ability to sell alcohol to consume away from the premises (off sales) – including the tables and chairs outside the immediate boundary of the venue. The existing provision for off sales will come to an end on 30 September 2023. This means that those premises that want to continue with off sales after 30 September 2023 will have to seek a variation to their licence unless they already have off sales on their licence. Any variation to the licence would need to be submitted in accordance the Licensing Act requirements and subject to the normal consultative and decision-making processes.
We recognise Bristol’s support for outdoor hospitality – both from the hospitality sector and members of the public -and we remain committed to helping any businesses that will be affected.
Bristol City Council has set up a meeting on Tuesday 25 July at Mr Wolf’s from 5pm-6pm, where licencing officers will be able to talk you through the next steps and offer any support we can. We will also look to set up further meetings if needed. We understand the frustration and disappointment you must be feeling, and although this decision has been taken out of our hands, we will continue to work with businesses to offer as much support as we can.
During Covid-19 ‘off sales’ was automatically applied to all premises with a premises licence for ‘on sales’ under the Licensing Act 2003. These provisions ran in parallel with the pavement licensing regime allowing premises to serve alcohol to patrons using tables and chairs outside their premises.
The existing provision for off sales will come to an end on 30 September 2023. This means that those premises that want to continue with off sales after 30 September 2023 will have to seek a variation to their licence.
The full text of the consultation outcome is available to view on the UK Home Office website.
Visit https://www.bristol.gov.uk/business/licences-and-permits for more information.
