BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)

Subject: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 08:35 AM

I was just wondering if I put on a ceilidh and buy a barrel of beer to 'sell' pints to the dancers along with soft drinks, do I need a licence and all the rigmarol that goes with it?

Sal

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 08:45 AM

I fear you do! Selling beer to folkies is definitely an offence, even worse than playing folk music in pubs. Incidentally, being found disguised in a rabbit warren used to be a capital offence. Standing talking to a friend outside a shop is also illegal, I believe. Life's a minefield.

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:08 AM

Oi you...wacha talkin' about? My local landlord said that he thought if I say people could put donations in a box next to the barrel I could get away with it. As the dance hall is 30yds from the pub they could go and buy it there and bring it in with 'em i s'pose.

Sal

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:16 AM

People do regularly do it, and get away with it. But in the end it is illegal, and you could get fined for it. tricky decision.

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:17 AM

How much drink is likely to be sold? Maybe your local landlord could get the licence, supply the drinks and do the bar in exchange for the profits.

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: MMario
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:20 AM

if the UK is like the US in this way - the loophole is that the "donations" have to be "free will donations" - which means you can't refuse to serve those who either don't ante up or come no where near the "suggested" donation.

it's like some locations that sell "tickets" for food and beverages - then exchange the tickets for the actual item. technically they are not selling the food item - just the tickets...

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: Snuffy
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:41 AM

Have a raffle - every ticket is a winner, and all the prizes are pints.

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 06:03 PM

I think Snuffy's right about the current position, but of course when the Licensing Bill goes through you won't be able to have a ceilidh without a licence whatever drinks are sold.

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 08:59 PM

The venue does have a PEL. I spoke to a chap about providing a bar, but he said it wasn't worth all the effort of getting a licence and paying staff, errecting all the stuff, etc. I'm only expecting about 70-100. one barrel of beer ought to do it.

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: Cllr
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:39 PM

Snuffy and herga kitty It used to be legal but no longer they changed the rules on raffles a few years ago. Cllr

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: GUEST,Elfcall
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 04:04 AM

I agree with Cllr - If alcoholic drink is offered as a prize it constitutes the sale or supply of intoxicating liquor and therefore requires a licence.

You may want to try for an occasional permission under the Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983. Each permission lasts for a 24 hour period.

I do not know the costs or application process for such licenses.

Bless my copy of the Charity Administration Handbook (#2)

There would also be some doubt as to whether the raffle was a true lottery.

Elfcall

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: Beardy
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 05:04 AM

1 barrel (a 9 or 18?)! 70-100 people!! Oh must be 'professional' ceilidh dancers; often seen at Sidmouth LNE but not in the bar!!!

As Jon says ask the local landlord to licence the bar, but it seems a lot of trouble for 1 barrel.

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 03:02 AM

Unless the law in Scotland has changed in the past decade [can't be certain of the situation in England]here's what I was regularly involved in. I was, for a time secretary of a sports club. Over and above the licence necessary for the daily opening of the premises, "special licences" --up to a certain limit in number-- could be applied for. This ruling was also open to any registered organisation---Community Councils, Boy Scout Troops , Church committees etc., etc. Any of these groups could apply for a "drinks" licence , and as long as they hadn't exceeded their quota, were never refused unless the privilege had been in the past abused. They usually went to a "sale or return" dealer, and obtained their supply. I never once heard of any financial failures in any such venture. And the beauty of it all was the fact that if the "Country and Western" club had used all of their licences, there was no law against their approaching the "Young Mothers' Club"[or some such] and asking for the o.k. to use one of theirs! It doesn't take much calculating to see that if a group wished to have ten or a dozen "bars' every year,,there wasn't much standing in the way! So if you want a bar, all you need is the backing of your own or some other legitimate organisation, and off ye go! [ As I say--if the law still works that way....]

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: Strupag
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 02:42 PM

I was at a cheilidh once and there were two kinds of sweeties for sale.
One cost about £1.00 and the other cost £1.50.
A free glass of wine was given with the £1.00 ones and a free can of beer was given with the £1.50.
God I had a few sweeties that night! But was it legal?

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 12:58 PM

refreshing!

Subject: RE: BS: Alcohol Licence (uk)
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 05:03 PM

You don't need to have a pub actually running it to apply for a special licence. At least you didn't, the last time I was involved with running a bar at a charity event.

It should be possible to get covered legally, so you could run the "bar" yourself - ask around. It's not that much rigmarole.

I don't think you'd be legal if you upped the price of the tickets a fraction, and had free beer. But if the beer was donated and the price of the ticket didn't include any element to cover the beer,   adn the cost of the barrel was covered some other way could that be legal?

In quite a few places you'd just be able to do it and get away with it, because noone would give a toss anyway...