The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 – Consultation on reviewing the fee for occasional licences and considering a limit on the number and duration of occasional licences

Overview

The alcohol licensing regime is administered by Licensing Boards. The Boards carry out a range of functions including granting and reviewing licences. The regime operates on a cost recovery basis, with Board costs being covered by fees, including licence fees.

The purpose of the occasional licence is to cater for the multitude of events which take place on premises which are not ‘fully’ licensed but feature the sale of alcohol, for example fetes, wedding receptions and arts events. When used in their envisaged role, occasional licences offer a flexible regime for the hospitality and entertainment sector to provide alcohol at events outside licensed premises. However, concerns have also been raised that some applicants have sought to use the occasional licence process to apply for consecutive occasional licences as an alternative to a full premises licence. Allowing them to circumvent parts of the licensing regime.

The purpose of the consultation is to consult on whether to raise the fee for an occasional licence from the current price of £10, and if it is agreed that we should increase the fee, seek views on what that new fee level should be; and seek views on considering a limit on the number and duration of occasional licences for premises licence holders and personal licence holders.

Why your views matter

The responses received to this consultation will help the Scottish Government to determine whether or not to increase the fee level for the occasional licence; and whether or not to prescribe a limit on the number and duration of occasional licences for premises licence holders and personal licence holders.

View full consultation paper here.

What happens next

In terms of next steps following this consultation, the Scottish Government will analyse the responses and if considered appropriate will draft and lay secondary legislation embedding any new fee level or limit on the number and duration of occasional licences into Scottish law.