Lambeth Council is responsible for licensing all premises within the borough that sell or supply alcohol, provide regulated entertainment, or sell hot food or drinks between 11pm-5am (late night refreshment). The licences that these premises must hold are known as Premises Licence (or, for members clubs only, Club Premises Certificates).
Local residents and businesses (also known as 'interested parties') have been given powers under the licensing legislation, allowing them to make representations and request reviews of Premises Licences and Club Premises Certificates. The Council will also investigate complaints relating to licensed and unlicensed premises.
For the purposes of this legislation, the following qualify as interested parties:
-an individual living in the vicinity of the premises
-an individual involved in a business in the vicinity of the premises
-a body representing persons in either of the above categories
-a ward councillor which means your local councillors can represent you at the committee if you like
For the purposes of this legislation, the following qualify as interested parties:
-an individual living in the vicinity of the premises
-an individual involved in a business in the vicinity of the premises
-a body representing persons in either of the above categories
-a ward councillor which means your local councillors can represent you at the committee if you like
If you want to object to a licensing application, your objection must relate to one of the following:
-Preventing crime and disorder
-Public safety
-Preventing public nuisance-Protecting children from harm
When premises first apply for a licence (or if they subsequently apply to vary their licence, or if the licence is reviewed), local residents and businesses may comment by making representations, which either support or oppose the application.
Details of current applications are displayed on the Lambeth website and significant applications will be highlighted on our website.
Interested parties may make representations in respect of an application, in writing, by the date listed on the statutory notice (which will usually be 28 days after the application was made). Late representations, or representations which are vexatious, frivolous or irrelevant, will be disregarded. Representations can be submitted by:
Email: licensing@lambeth.gov.uk
Post: Licensing, 2 Herne Hill Road, London, SE24 0AU (the licensing department is moving, so this address will change in the next couple of weeks).
Fax: 020 7926 6130
If there are no objections then the licence will be granted automatically.
Your ward councillors can advise you about making an objection and can make representation on your behalf.
If there are no objections then the licence will be granted automatically.
Your ward councillors can advise you about making an objection and can make representation on your behalf.
Complaints about licensed premises
Complaints may be made by:
Email: licensing@lambeth.gov.uk
Post: Licensing, 2 Herne Hill Road, London, SE24 0AU (the licensing department are about to move premises, so check the address by phone over the next couple of weeks)
In person: between 2pm-5pm, Monday to Friday, at the above address (this is a reduced service due to the upcoming move)
Telephone: 020 7926 6108
Fax: 020 7926 6130
There are some matters which the Council are not able to investigate:
-Issues relating to crime and anti-social behaviour should be reported to the Metropolitan Police, or to your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team.
-Issues relating to planning consents should be reported to the Planning Service. Licensing and Planning operate as separate regulatory regimes, and businesses carrying on licensable activities will require both a licence and appropriate planning consent before they are legally entitled to operate.
-While the Licensing Act 2003 does include public safety and public nuisance within its remit, it is not the primary legislation in respect of these issues. In the first instance, issues should be reported to either the London Fire Brigade, or our Health & Safety, Food Safety or Noise/Pollution sections, as appropriate.
-Any issues relating to fire safety are now controlled under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, for which the London Fire Brigade are the enforcing body.
Reviews
While the regulatory bodies will use their powers to ensure that licensed premises operate in accordance with the provisions of the law and with any conditions attached to their licence(s), there may be occasions when concerns exist over the operation of a premises which cannot be resolved either through mediation or enforcement. In those situations, a responsible authority or an interested party may request that a licence is reviewed.
The grounds upon which a review is requested should relate to one or more of the licensing objectives, set out above. Anybody requesting a review will be expected to produce evidence to demonstrate the extent of the problem that forms the grounds for review. It is also worth noting that the review process is intended to be used as a last resort, and that attempts to resolve the problem should have been made through other avenues (e.g. informal approaches and intervention by other Council services such as the Council's Noise Control Service) before a request for a review is submitted.
