‘Comply with licensing’ warning for landlords as World Cup draws near

Landlords should take steps to ensure they are complying with the terms of their licences ahead of the World Cup, a potentially lucrative time for many venues. 

Samantha Faud, solicitor in the Leisure & Licensing team at regional law firm Napthens, reported that thanks to the times the matches are being played, it is likely that landlords will not need to apply for extended licensing hours.

However, it is important they are still complying with all premises licence conditions ahead of the sporting event, due to run from June 14 to July 15 in Russia.

Samantha said: “Landlords should go back to the basics. The premises licence summary should be displayed, and any temporary events notices allowing for longer opening hours should be on hand in case an authorised officer requests to see it.

“Check the permitted timings on premises licences – even though the matches aren’t due to be played that late, landlords may wish to open later to serve customers.

“Next, check conditions – some licences may have a risk assessment for special events, and if this needs to be documented, landlords should make sure it is available to authorised officers. “Then it’s important to work with staff and make them aware of any policies or procedures – they should be aware of any age verification policy in place, usually Challenge 25. Intoxicated people shouldn’t be served and if the venue has a capacity limit, make sure it’s complied with.”