Can licensed premises open 24 hours?
A Not necessarily. The Government are not promoting 24 hour drinking. The Act promotes flexible, rather than uniform closing times and allows for the possibility of premises to remain open for up to 24 hours. The actual hours of operation will vary from premises to premises depending on the operator’s wishes and consideration of people affected, for example, local residents and businesses. Alongside their application for a premises licence, applicants must submit an operating schedule to the licensing authority, which include the proposed hours of operation. However if no relevant representations are made in relation to the application then the licensing authority must grant the application. For example, where a pub is in a residential area and an application is made that it is allowed to open until 1 am or even 24 hours, residents in the area may wish to comment or object, whilst a pub in a non-residential area may have fewer or no objections.
