Late-night refreshments

Licences required 

You need a premises alcohol licence to: 

• sell alcohol
• supply alcohol at a club
• provide regulated entertainment
• provide facilities for regulated entertainment
• provide refreshments between 11pm and 5am. 

Alcohol sales must be made by, or under the authority of, someone who holds a personal alcohol licence. 

If you are applying for a premises licence that includes consent to supply or sell alcohol, you must appoint a designated premises supervisor. This person must be a personal alcohol licence-holder. 

A premises licence lasts for the lifetime of the business unless you apply for a licence for a shorter period. 

Exceptions

You do not need a premises alcohol licence if: 

• you’re holding a certain type of one-off or occasional event. In this case, you need a temporary event notice
• your establishment is a qualifying club (members' club). In this case you need to obtain a club premises certificate
• you provide refreshments between 11pm and 5am and fall into an exempt category. 

You do not need a premises licence for the following types of late-night refreshment: 

• hot drinks distributed by a machine that is operated solely by the customer
• hot food or hot drink supplied free of charge, where there is also no charge for admission to any premises, or a change for some other item to obtain the hot food or hot drink
• hot food or hot drink supplied by a registered charity or by a person authorised by a registered charity (registered under the Charities Act 1993, or not required by this act to be registered)
• hot food or hot drink supplied on a moving vehicle, for example trains, coaches and limousines
• hot food or hot drink supplied to members and guests of recognized clubs that hold a club premises certificate
• hot food or hot drink supplied to hotel and bed and breakfast guests
• refreshments in staff canteens, where the staff are required to work between 11pm and 5am