A club premises certificate (CPC) authorises the qualifying club to carry out club activities such as the supply of alcohol and provision of regulated entertainment.
Technically the club only sells alcohol by retail at such premises to guests. Where members buy alcohol, there is no sale (as the member owns part of the alcohol stock) and the money passing across the bar is merely a mechanism to preserve equity between members where one may consume more than another. This explains why the Licensing Act 2003 often refers to the supply of alcohol in the context of clubs and not just to the sale by retail. The act does not prevent visitors to a qualifying club being supplied with alcohol as long as they are genuine guests of a member of the club or the club collectively.
Eligibility criteria
Clubs must be qualifying clubs. A qualifying club has general conditions it must satisfy. These are:
- a person may not be given membership or as a candidate for membership to any membership privileges without an interval of at least two days from their membership application or nomination and their membership being granted
- that club rules state that those becoming members without prior nomination or application cannot have membership privileges for at least two days between them becoming members and being admitted to the club
- that the club is established and conducted in good faith as a club
- that the club has at least 25 members
- that alcohol is only supplied to members on the premises on behalf or by the club.
Additional conditions in relation to the supply of alcohol must be complied with. These conditions are:
- that alcohol purchased for and supplied by the club is done by members of the club who are over 18 years of age and are elected to do so by the members
- that no person at the expense of the club receives any commission, percentage or other similar payment in regard to the purchase of alcohol by the club
- that there are no arrangements for anyone to receive a financial benefit from supplying alcohol, apart from any benefit to the club or to any person indirectly from the supply giving a gain from running the club.
Registered industrial and provident societies and friendly societies will qualify if the alcohol purchased for and supplied by the club is done under the control of the members or a committee of members.
Relevant miners' welfare institutes can also be considered. A relevant institute is one that is managed by a committee or board that consists of at least two thirds of people appointed or elevated by one or more licensed operators under the Coal Industry Act 1994 and by one or more organisations who represent coal mine employees. The institute can be managed by the committee or board where the board cannot be made up as detailed above but is made up of at least two thirds of members who were employed or are employed in or around coal mines and also by people who were appointed by the Coal Industry Welfare Organisation or by a body who had similar functions under the Miners' Welfare Act 1952. In any case the premises of the institute must be held on a trust as required under the Recreational Charities Act 1958.
Regulation summary View a summary of the regulation relating to this licence on the Licensing Act 2003 website.
Application evaluation process
- A club can apply for a club premises certificate for any premises which are occupied and used regularly for club purposes. Applications should be made to the council, where the premises are situated.
- Applications should be submitted with the required fee, a plan of the premises which must be in a specific format, a copy of the rules of the club and a club operating schedule.
A club operating schedule is a document which must be in a specific format and which includes information on:
- the activities of the club
- the times the activities are to take place
- other opening times
- if alcohol supplies are for consumption on or off the premises or both
- the steps that the club propose to take to promote the licensing objectives
- any other information that is required
For new, provisional statements or full variation applications
- Copies of the application form, including any relevant accompanying documents, must be sent to the responsible authorities on the same day that the application is given to the council.
- A notice of application must be displayed in your window for 28 consecutive days. The notice must be copied onto pale blue paper not less than A4 size. Alternatively you can request this by contacting the licensing team.
- A notice must be placed in the Ealing Gazette using the form provided. It is recommended that the advertisement is not placed in the newspaper until the council has confirmed that the application including all the required information has been submitted in full.
A notice is also required for a minor variation application. The notice must be no smaller than A4 size on white paper. The notice must be displayed on the window of the premises for a period of 10 consecutive days from the day after the application is made. A newspaper public notice is not required.
Where no relevant representations are made by the responsible authorities or interested parties, the council must grant the licence application subject only to the mandatory conditions and such other conditions as are consistent with the operating schedule. If relevant representations are received, the council must hold a hearing and consider the representations (unless all parties agree that this is unnecessary). Applicants should contact the responsible authorities before formulating their applications so that the applications are less likely to attract representations and that the mediation process may begin before the statutory time limits come into effect after submission of an application.
If a hearing is held the licence can be granted as submitted or granted subject to additional conditions, licensable activities listed in the application can be excluded or the application can be rejected.
In all cases where a hearing is held the council will serve a notice of its decision on the applicant, any person who has made relevant representations (ie representations that were not deemed frivolous or vexatious) and the chief of police.
Tacit Consent
This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the stated target completion period. Timescales for processing an application do not start until we have received all the necessary documentation and fees and that the statutory notification and advertising requirements are satisfied as set out in the application evaluation process above. If you receive no further contact from us within the stated timescale in the application acknowledgement then tacit authorisation applies. Where matters arise with regards to the application giving need for an extension of the processing period then the applicant/agent will be notified.
Minor variation applications will not be given tacit consent as by law they will be automatically refused if the authority has not determined the application after 15 days from receipt.
Apply online at Business Link (iApply)
Apply for a Club premises certificate
Apply online at Business Link (gov.uk)
Application for a new club premises certificate
Application for a variation to a club premises certificate
Notification of change of details or club rules
Application for a minor variation to a premises or club licence
Make annual payment for a club licence
Apply by post
Please download the the relevant form below and send the completed form to the licensing team accompanied by the relevant fee.
Application form - new
Application form (variation)
Application form - minor variation
Declaration for a club premises certificate to be granted
Failed application redress
Please contact the licensing team in the first instance.
If an application is rejected, the applicant may appeal the decision.
Appeals must be made to the local magistrates' court within 21 days of the decision.
Licence holder redress
Please contact the council in the first instance.
A licence holder can appeal against a decision to put conditions on a certificate or to exclude any club activity.
Appeals must be made to the local magistrates' court within 21 days of the decision.
Consumer complaint Any complaints should be made to the licensing team.
Any interested party or responsible authority may apply to the council to review the club premises certificate licence. A hearing will be held by the council.
Other redress
Any interested party may make representations to the council before the certificate is granted or before amendments to a certificate are granted. If representations are made a hearing will be held to consider the application and the representations. Notices will be made by the council detailing the reasons for any outcome.
An interested party is:
- a person living near the premises or a body representing such a person
- a person involved in a business near the premises or a body representing such a person
- a local ward councillor
Appeals against the decision can be made.
Appeals must be made to the Local Magistrates' Court within 21 days of the decision appealed.
Trade associations
Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA)
Noctis
For more advice and information please contact us.