Our licensing solicitors are renowned for providing practical and technically excellent advice to both operators of licensed premises and others interested in the carrying on of licensable activities.

Our expertise includes advising on the following:

  • New premises licences
  • Minor variations to a premises licence
  • Full variations of a premises licence
  • Strategic advice on the structure of premises licences
  • Temporary Event Notices
  • Due diligence on the acquisition of licenced premises
  • Appointment, removal or variation of a designated premises supervisor
  • Transfers of premises licences
  • Provisional statements
  • Interim authority notices and strategic advice following the lapse of a premises licence
  • Notifications of interest in premises under section 178 of the Licensing Act 2003
  • Breaches of premises licences or the Licensing Act 2003
  • Advice in connection with reviews of premises licences
  • Advice in connection with appeals to a magistrates court

In accordance with the SRA Transparency Rules (December 2018) Howes Percival are required to publish certain information about the cost of providing advice, assistance and representation in relation to licensing applications for business premises. In particular, Howes Percival are required to provide cost information regarding applications for new premises licences or varying a premises licence to allow premises to be used for one or more licensable activities. This information can be found here. Please note that as set out above, our licensing expertise extends far beyond advice in connection with applications for new and varied premises licences and we will be happy to provide a bespoke fee proposal to assist on any of the matters set out above.

The following costs information is the best information that we can provide based on our knowledge and experience. It must be noted that each matter is different and we strongly advise that you contact us for a bespoke quotation based on the specific circumstances of your case to enable us to provide an accurate fee proposal. The following cost information is provided in relation to premises in England only.

Applications for new premises licence

  • Simple applications (e.g. a small premises or event involving only one licensable activity in an area where such activity is unlikely to be controversial and where there have been no or very limited previous complaints about the carrying on of such an activity in that area) - £600- £1,250 + VAT

  • Medium complexity applications (e.g. a medium sized premises or event involving a handful of licensable activities in an area where such activity is unlikely to be extremely controversial and where there have been few complaints about the carrying on of such an activity in that area) - £1,000 - £2,000 + VAT

  • High complexity applications (e.g. a large premises or event involving several licensable activities in an area where such activity is likely to be controversial and where there may have been complaints about the carrying on of such an activity in that area and a cumulative impact policy may be in place) - £2,000 - £5,000 plus + VAT

The above prices include:

  • Taking your instructions and advising you as to how you can promote the licensing objectives within your application
  • Advising you on the type of plans you are required to submit with your application
  • Completing the application form for a new premises licence (including the operating schedule) in accordance with your instructions and submitting this to the local licensing authority alongside suitable plans (once suitable plans have been provided by you)
  • Providing guidance on the fee levels payable to the licensing authority
  • Drafting the notices advertising the premises licence application and submitting the notice to the local newspaper once you have agreed the costs of this
  • Arranging with you for you to display the notice(s) advertising the premises licence application and advising as to where and how this should be done by you in order to comply with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003
  • Providing a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) consent form for signature by a personal licence holder proposed by yourself
  • Checking the licence once granted and correcting any typographical errors with the licensing authority. For the avoidance of doubt, this does not include subsequent variation applications to deal with more substantive amendments

The above prices do not include:

  • Physically arranging for the advertising of the application at the premises
  • Preparing copies of the premises licence application for disclosure to the responsible authorities and serving copies of the application on the responsible authorities as the above prices are based on submitting the application online
  • Obtaining suitable plans
  • Attending pre-consultation meetings with the Licensing Authority or Responsible Authorities, nor their fee for this meeting
  • Dealing with or advising you in relation to queries or representations received from either the responsible authorities or other interested parties
  • Advising on varying the licence
  • Attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee hearing of the responsible authority. If representations are received and attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee is required then we will provide a separate fee estimate for this work
  • Advising you in relation to the process of becoming a personal licence holder

The following additional fees are also payable in relation to making an application for a new premises licence and are not covered by the prices set out above. Please note that the fees set out below can on occasion be higher than the ranges given although we will provide accurate figures for each item as soon as we are able to do so.

  • Application fees as follows based on non-domestic rateable values. Please note that where a premises is in the course of construction the premises shall be in Band C but otherwise where a premises has no rateable value (e.g. greenfield land) it shall be within Band A. In addition, where a premises comprises two or more buildings the highest rateable values on the premises shall be used. 

Band

A

B

C

D

E

Non domestic rateable value

None to £4,300

£4,301 to £33,000

£33,001 to £87,000

£87,001 to £125,000

£125,001 plus

Premises licences*

New application and variation

£100

£190

£315

£450

£635

Multiplier applied to premises used exclusively or primarily for the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises (Bands D & E only)

N/A

N/A

N/A

X2 (£900)

X3 (£1,905)

Annual charge*

£70

£180

£295

£320

£350

Annual charge multiplier applied to premises used exclusively or primarily for the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises (Bands D&E only)

N/A

N/A

N/A

X2 (£640)

X3 (£1,050)

Club premises certificates

New application variation

£100

£190

£315

£450

£635

Annual charge

£70

£180

£295

£320

350


*There are additional fees for premises licence applications, and the annual fee for exceptionally large scale events (5,000+), unless certain conditions apply (see below).

  • Additional fees based on attendees:

Number in attendance at any one time

Additional Premises licence fee

Additional annual fee payable if applicable

5,000 to 9,999

£1,000

£500

10,000 to 14,999

£2,000

£1,000

15,000 to 19,999

£4,000

£2,000

20,000 to 29,999

£8,000

£4,000

30,000 to 39,999

£16,000

£8,000

40,000 to 49,999

£24,000

£12,000

50,000 to 59,999

£32,000

£16,000

60,000 to 69,999

£40,000

£20,000

70,000 to 79,999

£48,000

£24,000

80,000 to 89,999

£56,000

£28,000

90,000 and over

£64,000

£32,000


  • Costs involved in advertising an application for a new premises licence. This shall include prominently displaying an A4 pale blue notice which can be read from the exterior of the premises (repeated every 50m for large buildings) for a period of no fewer than 28 days starting from the day of the application and publishing a notice in a local newspaper within 10 working days starting on the day after the application is made.  

It is difficult to provide any accurate time estimates for matters in general terms but we are normally able to provide our initial advice on a new premises licence within five working days of instruction and be in a position to submit an application within two to four weeks of instruction. This is on the basis that the application is relatively straightforward and you are able to provide all the necessary documents promptly. If your matter is more complex, for example, if there is substantial opposition from interested parties, or if there is a delay in receiving the documents we need, it may take longer.

Applications to vary a premises licence

The costs set out below do not apply to advice in relation to minor variations of premises licences which by their nature are likely to be less complicated and more straightforward than full variations under section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003.

  • Simple applications (e.g. a variation involving a small premises or event involving in an area where such variation is unlikely to be controversial and where there have been no or very limited previous complaints about the carrying on of such the activity subject to that variation in that area) - £500 - £1,000 + VAT

  • Medium complexity applications (e.g. a variation involving a medium sized premises or event where the activity (or activities) subject to the variation is unlikely to be extremely controversial and where there have been few complaints about the carrying on of such an activity in that area) - £1,000 - £2,000 + VAT
  • High complexity applications (e.g. a variation involving a large premises or event where the activity (or activities) subject to the variation are likely to be controversial and where there may have been complaints about the carrying on of such an activity in that area and where a cumulative impact policy may be in place) - £2,000 - £5,000 + VAT

The above prices include:

  • Taking your instructions and advising you as to how you can promote the licensing objectives within your variation application
  • Advising you on the type of plans you are required to submit with your variation application (if any)
  • Completing the application form for a varied premises licence in accordance with your instructions and submitting this to the local licensing authority alongside suitable plans once suitable plans have been provided by you (if any are required)
  • Providing guidance on the fee levels payable to the licensing authority
  • Drafting the notices advertising the premises licence application and submitting the notice to the local newspaper once you have agreed the costs of this
  • Arranging with you for you to display the notice(s) advertising the premises licence variation application and advising as to where and how this should be done by you in order to comply with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003
  • Checking the licence once granted and correcting any typographical errors with the licensing authority. For the avoidance of doubt, this does not include subsequent variation applications to deal with more substantive amendments

The above prices do not include:

  • Physically arranging for the advertising of the variation application at the premises
  • Preparing copies of the premises licence variation application for disclosure to the responsible authorities and serving copies of the application on the responsible authorities as the above prices are based on submitting the application online
  • Obtaining suitable plans (if any are required)
  • Attending pre-consultation meetings with the Licensing Authority or Responsible Authorities, nor their fee for this meeting
  • Dealing with or advising you in relation to queries or representations received from either the responsible authorities or other interested parties
  • Advising on a new premises licence
  • Attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee hearing of the responsible authority. If representations are received and attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee is required then we will provide a separate fee estimate for this work.
  • Advising you in relation to the process of becoming a personal licence holder

The following additional fees are also payable in relation to making an application for a varied premises licence and are not covered by the prices set out above. Please note that the fees set out below can on occasion be higher than the ranges given although we will provide accurate figures for each item as soon as we are able to do so.

  • Application fees as follows based on non-domestic rateable values. Please note that where a premises is in the course of construction the premises shall be in Band C but otherwise where a premises has no rateable value (e.g. greenfield land) it shall be within Band A. In addition, where a premises comprises two or more buildings the highest rateable values on the premises shall be used.

Band

A

B

C

D

E

Non domestic rateable value

None to £4,300

£4,301 to £33,000

£33,001 to £87,000

£87,001 to £125,000

£125,001 plus

Premises licences*

New application and variation

£100

£190

£315

£450

£635

Multiplier applied to premises used exclusively or primarily for the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises (Bands D & E only)

N/A

N/A

N/A

X2 (£900)

X3 (£1,905)

Annual charge*

£70

£180

£295

£320

£350

Annual charge multiplier applied to premises used exclusively or primarily for the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises (Bands D&E only)

N/A

N/A

N/A

X2 (£640)

X3 (£1,050)

Club premises certificates

New application variation

£100

£190

£315

£450

£635

Annual charge

£70

£180

£295

£320

350


*There are additional fees for premises licence applications, and the annual fee for exceptionally large scale events (5,000+), unless certain conditions apply (see below).

  • Additional fees based on attendees:

Number in attendance at any one time

Additional Premises licence fee

Additional annual fee payable if applicable

5,000 to 9,999

£1,000

£500

10,000 to 14,999

£2,000

£1,000

15,000 to 19,999

£4,000

£2,000

20,000 to 29,999

£8,000

£4,000

30,000 to 39,999

£16,000

£8,000

40,000 to 49,999

£24,000

£12,000

50,000 to 59,999

£32,000

£16,000

60,000 to 69,999

£40,000

£20,000

70,000 to 79,999

£48,000

£24,000

80,000 to 89,999

£56,000

£28,000

90,000 and over

£64,000

£32,000


  • Costs involved in advertising an application to vary a premises licence. This shall include prominently displaying an A4 pale blue notice which can be read from the exterior of the premises (repeated every 50m for large buildings) for a period of no fewer than 28 days starting from the day of the application and publishing a notice in a local newspaper within 10 working days starting on the day after the application is made. 

It is difficult to provide any accurate time estimates for matters in general terms but we are normally able to provide our initial advice on a proposed variation within five working days of instruction and be in a position to submit an application within two to four weeks of instruction. This is on the basis that the application is relatively straightforward and you are able to provide all the necessary documents promptly. If your matter is more complex, for example, if there is substantial opposition from interested parties, or if there is a delay in receiving the documents we need, it may take longer.

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