Businesses such as pubs and restaurants are licensed to sell alcohol for customers to drink on the premises (‘on-sales’).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government passed regulations allowing them to sell alcohol for takeaway, delivery and to drink in licensed pavement areas (‘off-sales’), without changing their licence.

The regulations expire on 31 March 2025. This consultation sets out permanent options for alcohol licensing after this date. The consultation will run for 8 weeks ending on 11th July 2024.

The proposals

• Option 1 – Make permanent the temporary regulatory easements for off-sales under the Business and Planning Act 2020, whereby any on-sales alcohol premise licence automatically covers off-sales as well.

or

• Option 2 – Amend the Licensing Act to extend the definition of on-sales so that it includes consumption in a licenced pavement area.

or

• Option 3 – Amend the Licensing Act to permit on-sales only premises licence holders the right to make off-sales to any area for which there is a pavement licence.

IoL Response

The IoL will be responding to this consultation. IoL members are invited to email their views to info@instituteoflicensing.org All views submitted will be taken into account when reviewing the IoL response. In addition, we will work with our Board members to formulate the IoL response.