Licensing Standards

Licensing Standards deal with the regulation of alcohol licensing.

This page gives access to information on the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and other alcohol legislation and is for anyone with an interest in alcohol licensing.

The information on these pages is taken from the relevant legislation and does not reflect the opinion of the licensing standards officer or Argyll and Bute Council.

Licensing Standards Officers

There are two Licensing Standards Officers employed by Argyll and Bute Council who are available to offer advice and assistance on any aspect of alcohol licensing.

The role of the Licensing Standards Officer is to provide guidance; ensure compliance with legislation; and offer mediation in licensing disputes.

Examples of the role are:

  • Guidance – provide information; liaise with licensed trade/others; give talks/presentations.
  • Compliance – monitor and inspect premises; issue compliance notices; report premises to licensing board.
  • Mediation – log complaints; discuss licensing problems and disputes with premises and neighbours separately and together.

You can contact your Licensing Standards Officer  for further information.

Licensing Standards Newsletter

The Licensing Standards service provides a free electronic newsletter for the licensed trade and others with an interest in alcohol licensing.  If you would like to receive the newsletters direct to your inbox, you can sign up for our newsletter through our Keep in the Loop services.

The Licensing Objectives

The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 Section 4 details the 5 Licensing Objectives as:

  1. Preventing Crime and Disorder
  2. Securing Public Safety
  3. Preventing Public Nuisance
  4. Protecting and Improving Public Health
  5. Protecting Children and Young Persons from Harm

For further information on the 5 Licensing Objectives contact one of the Licensing Standards Officers.

Do you need more information?

The Licensing Standards Information Pack for Premises Licence Applications has been produced to assist those interested in applying for a premises licence or provisional premises licence.  The pack provides information on the application process. timescales and fees and includes a specimen application form and operating plan.

The Licensing Standards Information Pack for Licensees has been produced to assist new and existing Premises Licence Holders and Designated Premises Managers (DPMs) in running their premises in compliance with the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, and includes specimen statutory notices for display on licensed premises.

The Licensing Standards Information Pack for Personal Licence Holders has been produced to assist new and existing Personal Licence Holders in their role of authorising and supervising of the sale of alcohol and training of staff.  All new personal licence holders are issued with a welcome letter advising of the information pack and licensing standards contacts.

You can also click on the links below to find out more (In alphabetical order):

Legal Advice

Licensing Standards does not provide legal advice or opinion and the above information should not be considered such.  Any legal advice or opinion on licensing matters should be obtained from a licensing solicitor.

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