Licensing Services

Licensing Services tailored to your business

Licence Leader works with clients all over the UK to provide tailored licensing solutions that work for your business. We offer expert advice, application and representation services that cover everything you need to get your business licensed and fully compliant.

We will help you throughout the entire process, from initial consultation and site visit, dispute resolution and mediation right through to sub committee hearings should that be necessary, managing the paperwork on your behalf and taking the stress out of the process.

Licence Leader Services

  • Applying for a premises licence can be daunting, especially given the complexity of licensing laws and the number of stakeholders involved. Licence Leader works with businesses of all sizes, from solo entrepreneurs and chains of restaurants to music festivals and breweries, providing expertise when you need it. Read more below.

  • If you are planning a one off event, or need to open outside of your regular hours, you will need a TEN. These can be obtained but must be applied for in advance. Read more below

  • If you want to extend your hours, serve hot food and drink after 11pm or need to make changes to your existing Licence, we can help. Read more below.

  • If you change the way that you are trading, would like to amend your hours or where you serve alcohol (like a beer garden) you will need to reflect this on your Licence in order to remain compliant. In addition, if you want to change your DPS (Designated Premises Supervisor) then you Licence also needs to be revised. Read more below.

  • If you receive any objections to an application or one of the responsible authorities is concerned about your application, it will go to a hearing. We strongly advise that you seek professional help. Read more below.

  • The planning and management of large events or festivals is not an undertaking to be taken lightly. There are a large amount of regulatory steps that will be required, not least least obtaining a Premises Licence or Temporary Event Notice (TENs). Read more below.

Alcohol Licensing

Applying for an alcohol licence can be daunting, especially given the complexity of licensing laws and the number of stakeholders involved. Licence Leader works with businesses of all sizes, from solo entrepreneurs and chains of restaurants to music festivals and breweries, providing expertise when you need it, with minimal fuss, delivering results that will help you push your business or event forward. We have a deep understanding of the licensing world as well as actual experience in the hospitality industry, so you can rely on us to represent you in the best possible light.


Applying for a premises licence, we will:

  • Provide a free consultation and site visit, as required, to understand the context of your application

  • Send the completed premises licence application form to the relevant local authority

  • Send copies of completed application form to other ‘relevant bodies’ (eight in total)

  • Supply a plan of the premises in the prescribed form

  • Have the consent of someone to act as Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS)

  • Advertise the application in the local newspaper and at the premises for a set period of time

If all the necessary steps are completed and no relevant objections to your application are made, the Council will grant your licence. If ‘relevant’ objections are received, then the Local Authority will call a public hearing to discuss your application. We are often engaged after the application has received objections from neighbours or from one of the relevant authorities, but it is prudent to plan for this at the time of application as this allows more room for manoeuvre and negotiation.

Temporary Event Notices

If you are going to hold an event where you plan to sell alcohol but you do not need a full premises licence, you will need a Temporary Event Notice, or TEN. A TEN allows you to sell alcohol on a specific date without the need of a full licence, but the rules around the sales of alcohol still apply and you can still fall foul of the law if you do not adhere to these operating standards. Licence Leader will make sure your application is successful and that you are fully compliant with the law to prevent any issues during or after the event.

Changes to your Licence / Vary DPS

It is imperative that you keep your Licence up to date with any changes as they happen. We understand that hospitality involves staff turnover, but you can get into serious trouble if you do not comply with the conditions of your licence. Licence Leader can help you to keep up to date in terms of your Licence and take the stress out of any changes that may need to be made. If your Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) leaves, if you want to change the hours that you are selling alcohol or if you are planning to change your layout and where customers can drink, these all require changes to your Licence. Licence Leader offers free advice on how you can future proof your business so that you do not need to change your licence as often. Don’t bury your head in the sand, give us a call and we’ll help you stay compliant, and that is another thing taken care of.

Entertainment Licensing

If you are planning to sell hot food or drink after 11pm (Late Night Refreshment), you need a Licence. This can be a very lucrative time to be trading, but there is heightened scrutiny of Licences that extend operating hours later into the night, so it is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice before applying. This is relevant for restaurants, nightclubs, adult entertainment and takeaway businesses amongst others. Licence Leader has helped a large number of businesses that make up the Night Time Economy, particularly in built up areas, so we understand how to position your business to ensure your application stands the very best chance of success. You must adhere to the Licensing Objectives and be seen to be doing everything possible to uphold them. We will make sure you are fully prepared, understand the law as it relates to trading late night trading and how to remain compliant - get in touch to find out more.

Sub Committee Hearings

If you receive objections to a licence application, for example, from a neighbour, the application is automatically referred to the Licensing Sub Committee of your Premises’ local Council. for a hearing. That means that a decision as the to the granting of your licence will be decided after this hearing. It is also possible that one of the eight responsible authorities that receive your application can call a hearing. Understanding how to navigate this process is crucial and can save you time and money. We regularly represent clients in sub committee hearings to maximise the chance of a successful application. There are many important steps that need to be taken to show your willingness to work with the various authorities and resolve any disputes as amicably as possible. Each case is different, but you can be confident with Licence Leader by your side.

We will help you to work through any issues in advance of the hearing, giving you a far greater chance of moving your application forward.

Festivals, Event Management & Safety Advisory Group

Festivals and large events are all subject to very specific planning parameters and can be hugely complicated to organise. Licence Leader has helped plan and manage multiple large scale events so get in touch if you need to discuss how to go about an event safely and with the correct planning in place. Below is a list of the main areas where we can assist:

  • Preparation of the SAG (Safety Advisory Group) documents

  • Event Management Plans

  • Risk Assessments

  • Site/Location Plans

  • Event description, activities, programme, and timings

  • Audience and Attendance

  • Roles, responsibilities, command structure, contact details and competency

  • Security arrangements, marshals or stewards

  • Licensing and insurance

  • Evacuation and emergency planning considerations

  • First aid and medical provisions

  • Site visits can be arranged to discuss your requirements

  • All documentation can be produced for you

  • Liaison with SAG and Responsible Authorities undertaken on your behalf

We strongly advise that you bring a licensing professional in at the very early stages of planning in order to avoid unnecessary delays or issues with planned event dates. Large scale events require a great deal of planning before any dates can be released. Get in touch for a no obligation discussion around how we can help your event come to fruition.