Commentary on Sections Part 2.Registration of Clubs Section 28: Sporting clubs
This section introduces new Article 15A in the Clubs Order (Extension authorisations for sporting clubs) to allow police to authorise a sporting club to extend the area of its premises which is registered to supply intoxicating liquor for the purpose of holding a function.
The extended area will be treated as part of the registered premises and therefore the function will be subject to the conditions set out in Article 30 (Functions in registered clubs). A sporting club will be able to apply for a police authorisation up to 6 times in any year. Only in exceptional circumstances, determined by the PSNI, should an authorisation last for more than 1 day.
The Department has a power to make regulations to change the number of authorisations the police may make in any year to any club. The regulations cannot come into operation unless and until approved by the Assembly.