Disbursements

 Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as the Application fee.  We will pay the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.  The Application fee payable to a Licensing Authority is between £100 and £1,905; advertising fee of between £250 and £500 excluding VAT at 20%, Enquiry Agent’s fee to display public notices of between £175 and £300 excluding VAT at 20%, special delivery fee to serve the Application on each letter of between £5 and £18, printing additional copies of plans if necessary of between £10 and £25 with VAT at 20%. 

The advertising fee and Enquiry Agent’s fee can vary depending on the individual premises where it is located.  The fees can on occasion be higher than the range given above.  We will give you an accurate figure for each item as soon as we are able to do so. 

Our fee includes:-

• Taking your instructions and advising you as to how you can promote the licensing objectives within your Application.

• Advising you of the type of plans you are required to submit with your Application.

• Completing the Application form for a new premises licence (including the Operating Schedule) in accordance with your instructions and submitting this to the local Licensing Authority alongside suitable plans.  You must provide us with suitable plans. 

• Provide guidance on the fee level payable to the Licensing Authority.

• Preparing copies of the Premises Licence Application for disclosure to the Responsible Authorities and serving copies of the Application on the Responsible Authorities.

• Drafting the notices advertising the Premises Licence Application and submitting the notice to a local newspaper.

• Arranging for you to display the notice(s) advertising the Premises Licence Application and advising as to where and how this should be done by you in order to comply with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003. 

• Providing a Designated Premises Supervisor consent form for signature by a personal licence holder proposed by yourself. 



• Checking the Licence once granted and correcting any errors with the Licensing Authority.

It is important for you to be aware that the above proposed fee does not include:-

Preparatory Work

• We will conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you if necessary and answer any further enquiries that you have. 

• We cannot provide you with the length of your Hearing.  This will depend on Court listings on the day. 

• We will attend Court and meet with you before going before the Court. 

• Our estimate of costs anticipates being at Court either in the morning or in the afternoon, and not both. 

Obtaining suitable plans.

Attending pre-consultation meetings with the Licensing Authority or Responsible Authorities nor their fee for this meeting. 

Dealing with and advising you in relation to queries or representations received from either the Responsible Authorities or other interested parties. 

Advising on varying Licence.

Attendance and representation at a Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing with the Responsible Authority.  If representations are received and attendance and representation at a Licensing Sub-Committee is required, then we will provide you with a separate fee estimate for the work which will be charged as a fixed fee or on an hourly rate basis. 

How long will my Application take?

Matters usually take between and 4 and 8 weeks from the receipt of a full instruction from you.  This is on the basis of the Application being relatively straightforward and you being able to provide all the necessary documents promptly.  If your matter is more complex, for example, if there is a substantial opposition from interested parties or if there is a delay in receiving the documents we need, it may take longer. 

In the case of Applications which are of either medium complexity or higher complexity, we will provide you with an estimate of our fixed fee at the outset of your instructions to us.  It is important for you to appreciate that an estimate can only be given on the basis of the information provided by you to us. 

Your Application would be dealt with by Michael Stocken, Solicitor and Senior Partner, who has had experience over the years of making such Applications on behalf of clients in the local area and who is familiar with the requirements of the Licensing Authorities.

 al interviews at Police Stations.