Licensing Solicitors in London

London Licensing Solicitor Services

All our advice stems from the same sense of purpose: To use knowledge and hard work to get you the results you need to run your business how you want to.

If your business is based in London, we can help. 

The licence you need will depend on the type of premises you run. Not sure which one’s right for you? Our team is happy to help, just get in touch and we’ll advise on which licence is best for you. 

Or, take a look at our service pages below:

• Premises Licences 
• Alcohol Licensing
• Gambling Licensing
• Wedding Venue Licences
• Pavement Licensing
• Personal Alcohol Licences
• Sexual entertainment licences
• Food, Safety and Hygiene

Take a look at our service page for all the services we provide.

Premises Licence

If you are running or thinking of running any type of business that sells alcohol, sells hot food and hot non-alcoholic drinks between 23:00 and 05:00 the next morning, or provides a form of regulated entertainment, you will need a premises licence.

Your premises licence dictates everything from what hours you are allowed to trade, permission to play live or recorded music, the need for door staff and even tells you exactly where you can sell alcohol.

Our specialist solicitors ensure you get everything and more, including all the specialist licences you need. 

Cumulative Impact Policy

A Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) is a tool used by local councils in England and Wales to manage the effects of a high concentration of licensed premises, such as pubs, bars, restaurants, and off-licences, in one area.

Its purpose is to protect the Licensing Objectives, particularly where evidence indicates that too many venues in one location are contributing to issues such as crime, disorder, and public nuisance.

If you apply for a new premises licence or to vary an existing licence within a CIP, your application will face closer scrutiny. You should not be deterred from applying when you have a strong, well-thought-out proposal that will not add to the existing problems in that area.  

In London, councils that currently have Cumulative Impact Policies include:

• Westminster Council
• Tower Hamlets Council
• Southwark Council
• Newham Council
• Lambeth Council
• Islington Council
• Richmond Upon Thames Council
• Wandsworth Council

Late Night Levy

The Late Night Levy is a power by which Local Authorities may introduce a charge for premises that have a licence or certificate allowing them to sell alcohol or provide late night refreshments (in the form of hot food) between the hours of midnight and 06:00. The levy may be applied to the whole of the authority’s area or to certain areas, and the authority must specify what period between midnight and 06:00 the levy applies.

There are currently six London licensing authorities operating late night levies:

• Camden
• City of London
• Hackney
•  Islington
•  Southwark
• Tower Hamlets

Our specialist licensing team in London are highly skilled at issuing applications and combating late night levies.

Gambling

Thinking of providing gambling activities or services in Great Britain?

Don’t fret, we’re specialists at this too. At Poppleston Allen, we can help you obtain the right licences you need for your gambling business, whether that be casinos, bingo, adult gaming, family entertainment centres, lotteries and gambling software.

Not sure where to start? Speak to our gambling team about obtaining your gambling operating licence, gambling premises licence or gambling personal licence.

Clients we’ve helped in London

King’s Head Theatre

The King’s Head Theatre was the UK’s first pub theatre, founded in 1970. Household names such as Hugh Grant, Victoria Wood, Maureen Lipman and Alan Rickman made their debuts there.

We assisted the theatre with its relocation from its original venue, the back room of the King’s Head Pub, formerly a boxing ring and pool hall, to 116 Upper Street, situated immediately behind the original site.

Our licensing solicitors supported the relocation from start to finish, securing the premises licence and proactively managing potential objections from residents and authorities. By building robust, carefully considered measures into the premises licence application, we ensured the licensing objectives were fully promoted and protected.

The new premises now offer a 200-seat auditorium and a 50-seat cabaret space, capable of hosting multiple productions per day. 

The Founders Arms

We helped the thriving London pub expand its licensed area to nearly double its size as part of plans to grow with the local market. The sit was located in a Cumulative Impact Policy.

Our licensing solicitors prepared and submitted a full premises licence variation application, directly addressing concerns about noise, deliveries and customer dispersal. Ahead of the licensing hearing, we drafted a detailed dispersal policy and robust operating practices to show that the expansion would not negatively impact the surrounding area.

Despite more than 70 objections from local residents, the Licensing Committee agreed to grant the variation, allowing the pub to double its internal licensed space, subject to only minor conditions.

Central London Cocktail Bar

We helped the operator of a well-established cocktail bar in Central London seek to extend its licensed hours to meet growing customer demand. The premises were located within a Cumulative Impact Zone where there is a presumption against granting later hours.

Our licensing solicitors advised on and prepared a strategic variation application, carefully addressing the licensing objectives and proactively responding to concerns raised by responsible authorities and local stakeholders.

Despite objections and the challenges in the CIP area, the Licensing Committee granted extended hours, allowing the venue to trade later in the week and strengthening its commercial offering.

Why choose our licensing team? 

Our specialist licensing solicitors bring extensive experience across both straightforward applications and the most complex, high-profile matters. Whatever your requirements, we guide you through every stage of the process with clarity, confidence and commercial focus. Over the years, we’ve built strong, trusted relationships across the sector, giving our clients a strategic advantage when it matters most.

Beyond licensing, our dedicated regulatory team provides expert advice on food safety, health and safety and fire safety compliance. If you are invited to attend an interview under caution (never attend such an interview without a solicitor present), which often happens if you sold alcohol to under 18s, breached a licensing condition, committed a health and safety violation, and much more, we are there to protect your interests and support you every step of the way.

Ranked as a Tier One licensing team by The Legal 500 and Chambers UK Guide, we are praised for our “excellent execution and service from start to finish”, being “extremely knowledgeable”, and “offers impeccable customer service, is highly skilled, provides super communication and makes you feel very safe on all aspects of licensing.” Our gambling team is recognised for their deep knowledge of the sector and commercially minded and “offer proactive solutions when questions arise” and “Poppleston Allen’s knowledge and experience ensures even the most sophisticated challenges can be supported”.

Get in touch!

For more information on any of our services our solicitors and legal experts would be more than happy to help. Get in touch online or you can call the offices on 0203 859 7760 (London) and 0115 953 8500 (Nottingham).