Licensing Act Updates

Act now to ensure your staff have the right training

Staff who wish to sell or serve alcohol after 1 September 2009, when the new licensing act came into force, must have received at least two hours training in accordance with government guidelines. The BIIAB Scottish Certificate for Licensed Premises Staff is the perfect solution.

You can either get your staff qualified by putting them through the BIIAB Scottish Certificate for Licensed Premises Staff at a BIIAB approved training centre. Or, if you’re a personal licence holder, you could use our SCPLH handbook to train your staff.

We urge you to make sure your staff get qualified now. And remember, BII Scotland is here to help. Keep visiting our website for Licensing Act Updates and how to contact us for help.

Premises Manager – Move Fast!

Are you going to be the Premises Manager for your premises? If so you must first obtain your BIIAB Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders. Once you have received your certificate from your trainer you will have to apply to your local licensing board for a personal licence THEN you will have to advise the Board that you will be the premises manager. You have to move fast as you will not be able to sell alcohol after 1 September 2009 unless you have a premises manager in place and your licence will be revoked if you don’t have one in place by 1 December 2009.

“The results of all BIIAB qualifications are provided to me within 24 hours and I then receive the certificates within ten days of the course ending, which means that candidates are not kept waiting and applications for licences are not held up”
Alan Jones, head of training at G1 Group

BII, the professional body for the licensed trade is here to help:

Alice Cardwell Hodges, International Development Director, BII Scotland
e: alice@bii.org m: 07917 507 035

Timings for the trade

You'll need to have two licences for the selling of alcohol:

PREMISES LICENCE

• If you haven’t applied for your premises licence by now you'll be very lucky to get one in time for 1 September 2009 so you may have to cease trading at that date. If you're in any doubt you should contact your local Licensing Board and ask for their guidance. You'll also have to consult a specialist licensing lawyer. You'll find a list of recommended licensing practitioners on the tab on the left.

• Premises licences permit premises to be used for the sale of alcohol. There are no grandfather rights. You must apply to the Licensing Board where your premises are situated. You'll need documentation from the local authority planning; building standards and food hygiene departments. There's no guarantee that your application will be granted.

PERSONAL LICENCE

Premises managers must be personal licence holders, and have appropriate qualifications.The qualification certificate you receive from BIIAB is not your licence. Once you receive your qualification certificate you'll need to apply to your local Licensing Board for your personal licence.

• You will not be able to sell alcohol from your premises after 1 September 2009 until a premises manager is in place.
• If no premises manager is in place by 1 December 2009 the premises licence must be revoked.

STAFF

Nobody will be able to sell or serve alcohol after 1 September 2009 unless they've received at least two hours training in accordance with government guidelines. You can either get your staff qualified using the BIIAB Scottish Certificate for Licensed Premises Staff or you can use our existing handbook to train your staff. You must be a personal licence holder before you train your staff or you'll have to use one of our accredited training centres. Click here to find a centre.

SO WHAT TO DO?

Get qualified now – leave it too late and your business could close! Estimates suggest that at least 50,000 people will need to hold personal licences.

• Cross-border Personal Licence - this query is explained in the attached document below