Taking an objective view
July 10, 2024
At Complete Licensing, we’re asked all sorts of questions about licensing and the hospitality sector, and among the most frequent topics which comes up is that of licensing objectives.
At Complete Licensing, we’re asked all sorts of questions about licensing and the hospitality sector, and among the most frequent topics which comes up is that of licensing objectives.
Here we are then – or, in football parlance, here we go (here we go, here we go) – at the start of Euro 2024, when fans of all nations are still full of hope and keen to sink more than just one glass as they cheer on their team.
Licensees will be hoping for English and Scottish success at the Euro 24 football championships – and not just for patriotic reasons. In a move which recognises nationwide interest in the Germany-based event, the Government has made provision for longer opening hours should either or both of the Home nations make it through the group stages and into the business end of the finals.
It’s a sad but inescapable fact that the threat of terrorist action is something we live with nowadays. Attacks by terrorists may be thankfully rare in the UK – thanks, in no small part, to the vigilance of security forces and the public – but their effects can be devastating.
It’s a sad but inescapable fact that the threat of terrorist action is something we live with nowadays. Attacks by terrorists may be thankfully rare in the UK – thanks, in no small part, to the vigilance of security forces and the public – but their effects can be devastating.
So, here we are, racing headlong through Spring, knowing that Summer’s just around the corner. Summer – the season of outdoor drinking and dining, the season of tennis and cricket, flat racing and football.
Best Bar None held its annual awards presentation evening at the House of Lords recently, and Complete Licensing was represented in the form of Jim Sollars, one of our compliance experts.
Best Bar None held its annual awards presentation evening at the House of Lords recently, and Complete Licensing was represented in the form of Jim Sollars, one of our compliance experts.
Who knows whether we’ll see a break in the rain which seems to have been a constant companion over the last few months. What we do know is that Spring is upon us – the season for looking forward and getting things in order – including your business practices and licensing matters.
When The Soho Social café and restaurant contacted us they had already been refused an alcohol licence.
Complete Licensing has produced this guide to help you understand what the main public nuisance issues are likely to be for your business, how to assess their impact and how to control them.
It may have been a long time coming, but there was some good news for the hospitality industry on the cusp of the Festive Season.
Amid all the sprucing up and organising and ordering ahead for the Festive Season, it’s important to remember – and plan for – the big changes to TENs which are almost on us.
Amid all the sprucing up and organising and ordering ahead for the Festive Season, it’s important to remember – and plan for – the big changes to TENs which are almost on us.
Dave Nevitt, one of our environmental health experts, has received a major award.
Licensing Review. A couple of words which, when used in conjunction, might have even a stout-hearted licensee reaching for a stiff drink.
Licensing Review. A couple of words which, when used in conjunction, might have even a stout-hearted licensee reaching for a stiff drink.
Licensing Review. A couple of words which, when used in conjunction, might have even a stout-hearted licensee reaching for a stiff drink.
Licensing Review. A couple of words which, when used in conjunction, might have even a stout-hearted licensee reaching for a stiff drink.
One thing we at Complete Licensing pride ourselves on is giving the best service available to anyone involved in licensing. To that end, we’ve gathered together an advisory team which can rival any in the hospitality sector.
The hospitality industry has to deal with many issues and challenges, but few are more important than the question of vulnerability; not least because – on top of welfare and vulnerability engagement being a moral imperative – you could find yourself facing a licensing review if you don’t make it a priority.
We at Complete Licensing are delighted at the news that one of our clients has been nominated in this year’s awards. Incognito in Kingston upon Thames has been shortlisted as one of the 12 best bars throughout the length and breadth of the country.
You may not want to – given the cliff-edge tumble which hospitality income took during the Covid-19 pandemic – but try casting your mind back to the measures introduced to boost trade.
Remember when youngsters (of whatever gender) used to flutter their eyelashes and plead with the bar staff to let them buy a crafty underage drink?
Let’s be honest, the one thing you have to get right when opening a business – in any sector – is everything.
As the door swings open and a clutch of courageous clients shake the spring squalls from their coats and hair, you may be wondering where those semi-mythical sunny days have got to.
When you’ve dealt with everything from irate clubbers in central London to irate hotel guests, a licensing hearing might seem like a breeze.
Since day one, we at Complete Licensing have always subscribed to the theory that ‘preparation is everything’. The value of this approach to our work was proved yet again recently, when we secured a licence for a Bristol-based arts studio.
Inside knowledge is a valuable asset, and one which can make the difference between winning and losing – essentially, achieving your goal.
Preparation is everything in business, and we were reminded of this twice in recent licence applications.
Preparation is everything in business, and we were reminded of this twice in recent licence applications.
Preparation is everything in business, and we were reminded of this twice in recent licence applications.
Preparation is everything in business, and we were reminded of this twice in recent licence applications.
Stumbling through this disrupted autumn – more a season of blanketing fog and shrivelled windfalls than one of mists and mellow fruitfulness – we can at least look forward to one of the highlights of the hospitality industry’s year.
Does the phrase ‘Ask for Angela’ mean anything to you? Chances are, it does – though if not, you need to think seriously about changing your hospitality venue of choice (or to tell them about it).
All of us at Complete Licensing send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family following the news that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has died.
We at Complete Licensing are not political animals and neither, we suspect, are our clients, our website visitors, pretty much the whole of the hospitality industry. Don’t have the time; don’t have the inclination.
The odd silent disco aside, sound – particularly music – is one of the two essentials for a good night out at licensed premises (the other being, er, a drink). Whether it’s a background playlist, a (quick retro reference here..) jukebox, a live session or a full- on, all-systems-blazing DJ set, the soundscape of a pub, bar or club is integral.
When the owners of Shish Meze brought a little bit of Turkey to the Essex town of Abridge, they wanted their customers to walk away with more than just a satisfied appetite.
Our clients know all about our attention to detail and ‘after sales’ services. We don’t wave goodbye once we’ve secured a good outcome to a licensing issue – we’ll continue to advise, problem-solve and just keep a watchful eye on how a business is being run.
They wouldn’t claim to have God on their side, but brothers Brian and Aidan Scarffe have come to an agreement with some of his Earthly representatives which has proved a success despite the recent tough trading conditions.
A lot of hard work on all sides has gone into getting The Playhouse to where it is now, but for our part, that’s our standard service and our promise. You can, of course, ask us to secure your licence and leave it at that, but this Essex venue is proof of the value of keeping Complete Licensing on board.
It’s a bit of a stretch from handling high-end robberies, rough sleepers and disorderly nightclubbers in London’s West End to running a small family business in the West Country. That’s where Richard Bunch found himself a couple of years after his 2016 retirement from the Metropolitan Police.
We all know you won’t struggle to find late night food and a late night drink in London’s West End. All those ‘24-hour city’ claims would look a bit silly if everything closed down at midnight, after all.
One issue which has come to the fore since we were all last regularly gathered together knocking back the mulled wines/craft beers/double vodkas is that of ‘spiking’ – the practice of surreptitiously introducing incapacitating substances to innocent parties’ drinks.
So here we are – our second Covid Christmas, and once more governmental regulations are forcing rapid rethinks as the hospitality sector seeks to bring some cheer to pandemic-weary customers (and recoup some of the alarming losses of the past 21 months or so).
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat – and it might be the best option for this year’s Festive feasting, given the anticipated supply chain problems with turkeys. Whatever’s on offer in hotels, restaurants and pubs up and down the country, it seems demand will be high.
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Complete Licensing Limited is a company registered in England and Wales.