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.
No-one said it would be easy, but… If you’re working in the hospitality sector, chances are you’re a realist – or you are now even
Opening up presents new challenges So, how are we all feeling about July 19 and the great ‘opening up’? Confused? Not surprising, really. This, we
Let’s make this the last delay Fifteen months and 700,000 jobs later, we’re still not going live. The Government’s announcement this week that the ending
When one size doesn’t fit all Firstly, let’s acknowledge how good it is to see pubs, bars and restaurants doing what they’re supposed to: serving
Opening time is here at last We’ve all been fed a steady diet of statistics in the past year: deaths, infections, vaccinations, economic losses…all adding
Raise a glass to the curtain being raised How long is it since you filled your cup of culture to the brim with an evening
Finally on the road to somewhere There are 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s
Let’s talk about ‘opening time’ It’s hard not to be cynical nowadays – particularly if you have more than a passing interest in the hospitality
Make the most of trade-friendly moves It may sound like a bad joke, but the slightly odd truth is that now isn’t the worst time
Perfect time to spring clean your licence No point in sugar-coating it – things are bleak for the hospitality industry at the moment. But rather
Merry Christmas andHappy New Year All the team at Complete Licensing would like to thank you for your support over what has been a difficult
Squeezing the life out of our Live Events industry Let’s start by stating the obvious: This Covid-19 pandemic has left millions of people throughout Britain
Adding some cheer to a not-so-merry Christmas ‘Tis the season to be jolly– well, jollyish, as long as you don’t live in a Tier 3
All hands to the pumps as takeaways take off So the doors of restaurants, bars and pubs are firmly shut once more as England navigates
Roll up and drink up under the Big Top Roll up! Roll up! The greatest show on earth is coming to town – London Town,
Clubbing together to save the industry As we tick off the nth month of Covid-19 (who’s still counting??), one thing we can all agree on
Sacrificial lamb’s off today – the restaurant had to close There can’t be too many people working in the hospitality sector who would put the
Raise a glass to royal good taste Locals in Hackney are a fortunate lot: when they fancy a slice of cake they have a patissiere
Helping The Schooner set sail We at Complete Licensing love a bit of innovation and enterprise. We like to think it defines our approach to
A swift refocus ensures stars continue to shine Complete Licensing has been playing a crucial role in making sure that a not-so-small slice of British
The movie show goes on, so drive in and chill out If the phrase ‘Drive-In Movie’ conjures up images of a teenaged boy in Buddy
A former England under-21 international footballer is leading the team behind a new cross-community venture in Epping.
As the hospitality industry comes out of virus-driven hibernation, business owners and operators are finding themselves in a very different world to the one where they called ‘last orders’ three months ago.
So July 4th will be a different kind of Independence Day as hotels, restaurants and pubs begin to open up again thanks to the easing of the Covid-19 Lockdown.
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Complete Licensing Limited is a company registered in England and Wales.