Statement of Licensing Policy Consultation
Every 5 years the Council is required to review, consult on and re-publish its Statement of Licensing Policy. The current Statement of Licensing Policy is due to be re-published in January 2025.
The Statement of Licensing Policy is a document that sets out the Council’s approach to issuing licences for the sale of alcohol and late night refreshment, the management of those licences and the expectations the Council has of licensees.
The Statement of Licensing Policy has been reviewed and refreshed to ensure that it is up to date and relevant to Brent’s current circumstances and how they affect the licensed economy.
We do encourage you to read the draft Statement of Licensing Policy 2025-2030, however, we have also outlined the key changes below:
Key changes and additions for the Licensing Policy
1. The Licensing Policy has been updated for changes in laws and the Section 182 guidance. Including changes in pavement licences, a link to immigration status documentation and the inclusion of a policy to prepare for ‘Martyn’s Law’.
2. In particular new policies have been included to outline expectations in the following areas:
a. Addressing risks and harms to women and vulnerable people in the night time economy;
b. Responding to the proposed Martyn’s Law by outlining event and large venue safety and risk assessment;
c. Highlighting expectations for ‘dark kitchens’ an their premises to improve the operation and oversight of alcohol sales from these premises;
d. Ensuring licenses are aware of their responsibilities in relation to drink spiking.
e. Policies outlining expectations on delivery services and the dispersal of patrons from premises.
3. We have also removed the policy on a voluntary Minimum Unit Price, this policy has not been used and other approaches have had a positive impact in the area of low cost, high strength alcohol sales.
The policy must now be fully reviewed, and re-published.
We have prepared a revised a draft policy for consultation purposes.
