Legal background Alcohol licensing
The Licensing Act 2003 makes provision for the regulation of the sale and supply of alcohol, including the granting of premises licences. Should a licensee with permission to sell alcohol only for consumption on the premises ("on-sales") wish to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises ("off-sales"), they are required to apply for a variation of their licence. The Act modifies the Licensing Act 2003 to allow eligible holders of an on-sales licence an automatic grant of the off-sales permission for a limited period. The provisions will also apply temporary conditions to licences where there is a pre-existing permission for off-sales. These will enable those premises to operate in the same ways as those that are granted the new permission by suspending existing conditions that are more restrictive. The Act also provides for off-sales reviews to take place on grounds which are relevant to the licensing objectives. The licensing objectives are set out in section 4(2) of the Licensing Act 2003. As a result, an off-sales review can take place if there are problems relating to crime and disorder, public nuisance, public safety or the protection of children associated with the new permission or its associated conditions.