New Club Premises Certificate

• The grant of a club premises certificate means that a club is entitled to certain benefits, which include the authority to supply alcohol to its members and sell it to guests without the need for any member or employee to hold a personal licence, and the absence of a requirement to specify a designated premises supervisor. There are also more limited rights of entry for the police and other authorised persons, as the premises are considered private and not generally open to the public.

  To be classified as a qualifying club in relation to a qualifying club activity, a number of general conditions must be met. These are:

  • that under the rules of the club, persons may not be admitted to membership, or be admitted, as candidates for membership, to any of the privileges of membership without an interval of at least two days between their nomination for membership and their admission
  • that under the rules of the club, those becoming members without prior nomination or application may not be admitted to the privileges of membership without an interval of at least two days between their becoming members and their admission
  • that the club is established and conducted in good faith as a club
  • that the club has at least 25 members
  • that alcohol is not supplied to members on the premises otherwise than by or on behalf of the club

  To qualify as a club authorised to supply alcohol to its members and guests, additional conditions must be met. These are:

  • the purchase and supply of alcohol by and for the club is managed by a committee made up of elected members of the club all aged over 18 years
  • no arrangements may be made for any person to receive any commission, percentage or similar payment at the expense of the club with reference to purchases of alcohol by the club
  • no arrangements may be made for any person to derive directly or indirectly any monetary benefit from the supply of alcohol to members or guests apart from to benefit the club as a whole or any indirect benefit a person derives by reason of the supply contributing to a general gain for the club as a whole

  A club premises certificate may authorise the conduct of any of the qualifying club activities, namely:

  • the supply of alcohol by or on behalf of the club to, or to the order of, members of the club 
  • the sale by retail of alcohol by or on behalf of the club to a guest of a member of the club for consumption on the premises where the sale takes place
  • the provision of regulated entertainment (where that provision is by or on behalf of a club for members of the club or members of the club and their guests)

Checklist

1. Complete the application form
2. Pay the fee
3. Complete the club declaration form
4. Plan of premises
5. Club Rules

You can apply online

The fee for applying for a club premises certificate is between £100 and £635, based on the non-domestic rateable value of the premises, with an annual charge of between £70 and £350. See the table below.

Main Fee Levels - dependant on Non domestic rateable values.

Where all the requirements relating to the application have been met there is a minimum consultation of 28 days.

You must advertise your application as part of the consultation, this includes displaying a notice on your premises and publishing in a local newspaper which covers the area where the premises is located.

Representations from any responsible authority will be accepted during the period of 28 days starting from when your application is made. If a valid representation is received, the application will be referred to the licensing sub-committee for determination.

New Club Premises Certificate

Club Declaration - https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-licence/club-licensing/doncaster/apply-2

You are required to advertise your application please see ‘advertising requirements’ under additional information

Advertising the application at the premises
Using the example advert

Example Advert for New Club Premises 201337-102972

Download (28KB - DOC)

you must display a notice about your application on the premises to which the application relates. The notice must be displayed for 28 days. The 28 days runs from the day on which the application is made to the council.

Do not obscure the notice in any way or make it difficult to read. Others must be able to read the notice from outside your premises. If your premises is within a complex or its own grounds and the public will be unable to view the notice or notices from the exterior of the site then you should also display a notice at the nearest public thoroughfare (such as at the entrance to the complex/site) so the notice is easily read by the passing public.

Once you have sent us your application one of our officers will visit your site to inspect the notice. If it is found that the notice or its positioning does not meet the requirements of the Act then we may ask you to redisplay the notice and we may reset your 28 day notice period or even return your application. 

Please feel free to contact us before you submit your application to clarify what our requirements will be in this regard so as to reduce the chances of this happening.

Advertising the application in a newspaper
You must also publish a notice about your application in a local newspaper which covers the area where the premises is located. The notice should appear on at least one occasion within 10 working days starting with the day after the day on which you made your application to the council. It must contain the same information as the notice placed on your premises but does not need to use the same dimensions, or font size.

Guidance for New Club Premises Certificates

Download (101KB - PDF)

Responsible Authorities List 2023

Download (18KB - DOCX)

Unless requested otherwise in the application form, a club premises certificate has no time limit and will continue to have effect unless it is withdrawn by the licensing authority following an application for the review of the certificate, if the club ceases to be a qualifying club or it lapses on surrender by the club.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 has amended the Licensing Act 2003 to require the licensing authority to suspend a premises licence or club premises certificate if the annual fee is not paid when it is due.