The Council is updating its policy on licencing venues for alcohol, events, food and hot drinks

A neon sign saying 'bar, cocktails, dreams, disco, party' — Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Barnet Council is seeking views from residents on an update to the borough’s Licensing Policy.

The Licencing Policy outlines what will be considered when businesses apply for permission to sell alcohol, carry out regulated entertainment such as live music, film or dancing or sell hot drinks and hot food between 11pm and 5am.

Licensing policy must be reviewed every five years.

On the page for the consultation, the Council states: “The policy aims to balance the need for licensed premises to thrive with the needs of people living in the local neighbourhood and ensuring residents nearby are not negatively impacted upon. This impact could be noise at particular times of the night; litter; or increased alcohol-related crime or hospital admissions. These proposals would not affect existing licences. They would only affect those making new licensing applications.”

Revisions to the policy include the identification of Burnt Oak as “an areas where there are already a large number of licensed premises and there is deemed to be a cumulative impact on local residents. This cumulative impact could mean noise at particular times of the night; litter; or increased alcohol-related crime or hospital admissions.”

Residents, current licence holders, licensing agents, solicitors and trade support organisations can submit their views via an online questionnaire, which can be found here: https://engage.barnet.gov.uk/revised-licensing-policy-consultation-2024

The consultation closes on 31st May 2024. The Licensing Team will include the consultation findings and any comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in a report that will be put before the Licensing & General Purposes Committee in November 2024.

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