Alcohol: licensing Summary review: interim steps
If a licensed premises becomes associated with serious crime or disorder the police can make an application to the licensing authority for a summary review of the licence. The licensing authority must consider within 48 hours whether it is necessary to impose interim steps (temporary conditions on a licence), for example, suspending the premises licence. These interim steps enable the licensing authority to act quickly in cases where there has been serious crime or serious disorder as it can take the steps immediately without first being obliged to hear representations from the holder of the premises licence in question. The hearing to review the licence must take place within 28 days of receipt of the application.
	However, there is currently a legal ambiguity over whether or not interim steps remain in place until the process is complete, once appeal channels have been exhausted, or whether they can be withdrawn or amended at an earlier stage. Feedback from licensing authorities indicates that the legislation is being interpreted in some areas in a way which means that businesses are remaining closed or significantly restricted due to interim steps, sometimes for months, while an appeal is lodged. In other areas the opposite is happening and this can result in premises which pose a risk to the public continuing to operate during the appeal period. Either result can operate unfairly. Section 137 amends the law to ensure that licensing authorities can take appropriate action to protect the public and businesses subject to summary reviews are treated fairly.