Licensing

Under the Licensing Act 2003, the supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and the provision of late night refreshment are all licensable activities.

If you wish a licensed activity to take place on your premises you must obtain one of the following licenses:

• Premises Licence
• Club Premises Certificate
• Temporary Event Notice (TEN)

Failure to obtain and comply with a license could result in high fines. Local councils are responsible for issuing and regulating licenses with the assistance of the police and other authorities.

In addition to the above licences, if a premise (excluding private members’ clubs) is licensed for the supply of alcohol, a 'Designated Premises Supervisor' (DPS) must be allocated. The DPS must hold a personal licence.

 

Why do I need to have a licence?

The Licensing Act 2003 includes four key objectives. These objectives allow councils and police to make representations regarding applications. They consider if the objectives would be contravened or if there would be an adverse impact on the local community:

The objectives are as follows:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm.

 

I think I need a license

If you would like more information, or if you need to apply for a licence, please contact your local authority:

 

Council	Telephone	Fax
Suffolk Coastal District Council Melton Hill Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 1AU Email: licensing@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk	01394 444 802	01394 385 100
Ipswich Borough District Council Grafton House 15-17 Russell Road Ipswich IP1 2DE Email: licensingandenforcement@ipswich.gov.uk	01473 433 075
Mid Suffolk District Council Council Offices 131 High Street Needham Market Ipswich Suffolk IP6 8DL  Email: licensing@midsuffolk.gov.uk	01449 724 685 01449 724 693	01449 724 696
St Edmundsbury Borough Council West Suffolk House Western Way Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP33 3YU  Email: licensing@stedsbc.gov.uk	01284 757 103
Forest Heath District Council District Offices College Health Road Mildenhall Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP28 7EY Email: licensing@forest-heath.gov.uk	01638 719 353 01638 719 369 01638 719 780
Waveny District Council Town Hall High Street Lowestoft Suffolk Email: licensing@waveney.gov.uk	01502 562 111
Babergh District Council Corks Lane Hadleigh Ipswich IP7 6SJ Email: licensingsection@babergh.gov.uk	01473 825 719	01473 825 738