Details of Some Applications Made in past 12 months

Stephen Thomas acts for clients all over the country. Over the past 12 months he has successfully applied for  new licences or variations in respect of the following premises:

Bubba - Sheffield

Punjabi Dhaba - Strood

Rochester Cathedral - Rochester

640 East - Canary Wharf

Under One Kitchen – Kensington

Café Riviera-Maidstone

Charlotte’s-Tunbridge Wells

Fire away South and Claremont eatery-Blackpool

The Gosling-  Working

The Grapes -Oxford

Huddys Gin and Proseco bar-  Rochester

Joanna’s Boutique Tea Rooms – Cranleigh

The Wheel INN – Westwell

Wild Shark Vineyard – Hollingbourne

Altitude – Cranleigh

The Local - Chartham

Wedding licence for Betteshanger Country Park, Deal

Special Treatment s Licences for

Chilworth Hotel-London, Inhabit Hotel – London, Montcalm Hotel and Grand Ballroom  - London, Montcalm Piccadilly Hotel - London and the Royal London House hotel-London.

He has also made numerous applications for variations of DPS and transfer of licences as well as conducting the Personal Licence holders courses and Licensed Practitioners Courses. See separate testimonials from candidates who have attended these courses.

Christmas trade saved

A popular pub restaurant was faced with having to close in December. The owners had carried out alterations to enlarge the premises, and then been told by the council that as a result a new Premises Licence would be required, a process which can take up to 2 months, during which the place would be closed.

Stephen was able to find a solution. In return for agreeing to remove vertical drinking from the licence so that the total capacity was not increased, the application was allowed to proceed as a Minor Variation. To save the Christmas trade, Temporary Events notices were lodged. Stephen was even able to give the client a refund as the Minor Variation was less expensive.

In another case, the client was not so lucky. Council representatives visited a premises and found that substantial alterations had been made, and in this case a full new Premises Licence was required. Stephen was able to keep the premises open in the meantime with Temporary Events notices, but with much reduced hours.

The moral of the story is – when planning alterations, always consult the council in plenty of time. If the alterations increase capacity by 25% or more, a full new licence may be required.

Premises saved from closure after licence lapsed

Did you know that if a company becomes insolvent, or the owner dies, becomes bankrupt or mentally incapable, there are only 28 days to safeguard the Premises Licence before it lapses? This was the situation facing a client whose company went into liquidation in May. He tried to transfer the licence to a new business in November, only to find it had lapsed and a new licence would have to be applied for. With Stephen’s help, the new licence was granted in January and in the meantime the new owners were able to start trading using Temporary Events notices in December.

In this situation, an application for an interim authority or the transfer of the licence should always be made within 28 days.

Closed premises reopened

Stephen was approached by a company whose pub restaurant had been closed down. They had decided to create a new company to run the place and assumed that because the company address and the directors were the same this would not be a problem. They did not realise that when the old company ceased to exist the Premise Licence lapsed. The council closed the premises down pending an application for the grant of a new Premises Licence. Stephen made applications for Temporary Events notices to enable the premises to remain open and applied for the new licence. There had to be a significant reduction in the trading hours because of a change in the council’s  licensing policy. The application was approved at the end of the 28 day period and the premises are once again  trading profitably.

New vineyard for Maidstone

The grant of the new vineyard licence in the Maidstone area has now been approved. With Stephen’s guidance, plans were properly drawn up, an approved Designated Premises Supervisor appointed, and conditions to enable the consumption of alcohol on wine tours in the vineyard and a delivery service were drafted. Particular care was taken to avoid persons under the age of 18 taking delivery of any alcohol.

Brewery able to extend hours

A brewery located in a quiet rural area wished to apply for an extension of the hours and the days that they could open to members of the public. Residents objected because of concerns over noise and nuisance. The brewery gave careful consideration of the matters raised. An independent noise consultant was instructed, and their recommendations were implemented.  Stephen presented a carefully prepared proposal to the licensing committee in May 2023, which resulted in the grant of the licence.

Grant of Licence after taking Personal Licence exam

Licence transferred and variation of DPS granted.

I run a one stop licensing shop. SG came on my personal licence course, passed the exam and got her personal licence. We tied in the purchase of a shop so that the Transfer of the Licence and variation of the Licence for SG to be the Designated premises supervisor could proceed without hassle.

Thank you so much Stephen I am in complete shock I really thought I had done it by the skin of my teeth!!! I was so nervous. You were a complete pleasure and so understanding as a trainer. I’m just so pleased I didn’t let you down on your 100% pass rate.  Again Thank you 

SG

The importance of having a good Noise Management Plan

Noise is frequently a problem with licensed premises, and a carefully thought out Noise Management Plan can go a long way to helping get a licence granted. This was part of my preparation of the case for my client Betteshanger Country Park in Kent, who were successfully granted their licence in February and are looking forward to hosting music festivals and other entertainments in due course.

A brush with history

I recently obtained a new licence for the Magdala in Hampstead, the site where Ruth Ellis shot her lover in the car park, and became the last woman in the UK to be hanged, back in 1955

Does your premises need a Special Treatments Licence?

Premises offering aromatherapy, massages, laser treatments, saunas, acupuncture and similar treatments require a Special Treatments Licence. I have acted for several establishments and can make the process of obtaining your licence run smoothly.

New Licence for Celebrity Chef Atul Kochhar

I am delighted that Atul Kochhar has asked me to deal with his licensing work both at his Mayfair Restaurant, Benares and his new site, the Mail Box, in Birmingham. I obtained a new Premises Licence for him in the Mail Box in Birmingham. The application has been granted as has a pavement licence. Work is now underway for the premises to open in the New Year.

Licence obtained in Cumulative Impact Area (with reference from MD)

'Stephen, thanks for tonight. It really is a transformational day for the Brewery. You are now officially a "friend of the Brewery" and more professional work will follow. You have taken us out of a dark place into the light.' - Colin Arthurs, Managing Director of The Brewery

In 2013 residents were so upset with the Parker MacMillan nightclub that they succesfully reviewed the Premises Licence and it closed. Now, 4 years later the Brewery at Chiswell Street made application for a new licence at the site. There were objections from 37 residents and 2 responsible authorities.  An additional complication is that the site is located in a cumulative impact, the council having decided that no new licence should be granted. Careful consideration was given to the objections and, under my guidance, the Brewery were happy to amend the proposals. As a result the application was approved by the council.

Jazz and Soul Festival saved

Every year the Pantiles is host to a number of musical events held on Thursdays and sometimes on Saturdays throughout the Summer. The event came under threat when residents applied for a review of the licence. Stephen was instructed and resolved the situation by agreeing with residents to lodge a Minor Variation to ther Licence that would meet resident concerns and save the Summer events.

'We could not have achieved what we did without you'

“I cannot thank you enough for your advice and advocacy today; it is absolutely certain to say we could not have achieved what we did without you. With kind regards and greatest respect.” - Alex, Director, Chiddingstone Castle

I obtained a license for Chiddingstone, vital to the continuing success of the Castle.

Liquor licence saved

Police applied for revocation of a premises licence in Chatham. After hearing all the evidence the licence was saved. The licence holder has put in steps to ensure that there is no repeat of problems that occurred earlier this year and is on the verge of making the premises one of the most attractive premises in the Medway Towns. Watch this space for more news.

Legal highs policy – Epsom Downs Racecourse and the Derby Festival

Recently, the law changed and legal highs are now illegal. Epsom Racecourse, a client of mine, were concerned about the use of these substances at the venue during major events, including the Derby. I was instructed to draw up a policy that has now been made public, clarifying their zero-tolerance stance towards illegal drug use at any events at the racecourse.