Club Premises Certificate

To authorise the supply of alcohol and regulated entertainment in a qualifying club in Trafford you need a club premises certificate from us. View a summary of the eligibility criteria for this licence.

In a qualifying club there is technically no sale by retail of alcohol (except to guests) as the member owns part of the alcohol stock and the money passing across the bar is merely a mechanism to preserve equity between members where one may consume more than another.

In order to constitute a qualifying club you must also satisfy the various requirements set out in the Licensing Act 2003.

Eligibility

A qualifying club has general conditions it must satisfy.

These are:

  • A person may not be given memberships or as a candidate for membership to any membership privileges without an interval of at least two days from their membership application or nomination and their membership being granted.
  • That club rules state that those becoming members without nomination or application cannot have membership privileges for at least two days between them becoming members and being admitted to the club.
  • That the club is established and conducted in good faith.
  • That the club has at least 25 members.
  • That alcohol is only supplied to members on the premises on behalf or by the club.

Additional conditions in relation to the supply of alcohol must be complied with.

These conditions are:

  • That alcohol purchased for and supplied by the club is done by members of the club who are over 18 years of age and are elected to do so by the members.
  • That no person at the expense of the club receives any commission, percentage, or other similar payment in regard to the purchase of alcohol by the club.
  • That there are no arrangements for anyone to receive a financial benefit from supplying alcohol, apart from any benefit to the club or to any person indirectly from the supply giving a gain from running the club.

Registered industrial and provident societies as well as friendly societies will qualify if the alcohol is purchased for and supplied by the club is done under the control of the members or a committee of members.

Relevant miners' welfare institutes can also be considered. A relevant institute is one that is managed by a committee or board that consists of at least two thirds of people appointed or elevated by one or more licensed operators under the Coal Industry Act 1994 and by one or more organisations who represent coal mine employees.

The institute can be managed by the committee or board where the board cannot be made up as detailed above but is made up of at least two thirds of members who were employed or are employed in or around coal mines and also by people who were appointed by the Coal Industry Welfare Organisation or by a body who had similar functions under the Miners' Welfare Act 1952.

In any case the premises of the institute must be held on a trust as required under the Recreational Charities Act 1958.

Application process 

Applications must be on the correct form and accompanied by:

  • the appropriate fee
  • an operating schedule
  • a plan of the premises which must be clear and legible in all material respects

The operating schedule is part of the application form and must include details of:

  • the licensable activities
  • the times when the activities will take place
  • any other times when the premises will be open to the public

Applicants will be required to advertise their application and to give notice of the application.We must grant the application where no objections have been received.

However, a hearing must be held if any objections are made in respect of the application. If a hearing is held the licence can be granted, granted subject to additional conditions, licensable activities can be excluded, or the application can be rejected.

We will serve a notice of our decision on the applicant, any person who has made objection and the chief of police.

Cost

The fee depends on the ratable value of the premises:

  • £0 to £4,300 - £100 
  • £4,301 to £33,000 - £190
  • £33,001 to £87,000 - £315 
  • £87,001 to £125,000 - £450 
  • £125,001 and over - £635 

Payment

  1. Select Licensing from the "all categories" drop down menu
  2. Select apply
  3. Select Premises/Club Licence - New or Variation/Amendment/Copy
  4. Make your payment
  5. You should note the receipt reference as this will be required on the form

Representations

Where a representation concerning the licensing objectives is lodged by a responsible authority about a proposed operating schedule the licensing authority's discretion will be engaged. It will also be engaged if an interested party makes relevant representations to the licensing authority i.e. those which are not frivolous or vexatious and which relate to the licensing objectives.

A hearing will be required for the licensing authority to consider the representations, at which the parties will be invited to attend, to provide clarification of their own representations.

Where a representation is made by an interested party (for example, a local business or a resident living in the vicinity of the premises) there is a preliminary stage at which the licensing authority must consider whether the representation is relevant (See relevant, vexatious and frivolous representations).

If the licensing authority decides it is not relevant, a hearing would not be required in relation to that representation and in the absence of representations from other interested parties or responsible authorities, the application would be granted.

How to apply

You can apply online on the GOV.UK website using the following links.