Licensing Lawyers
Receive specialist legal support for all licensing applications including personal licences, premises licenses and licensing appeals.
- Highly ranked by Legal 500 for our expertise
- Deep understanding of UK alcohol licensing laws
- Proven success with licence applications, reviews and appeals
- Specialist team led by experienced licensing solicitors
Trusted legal advice for licensed premises
At Freeths, our licensing solicitors deliver tailored, practical advice to help your business meet its obligations under UK law. Whether you're opening a new restaurant, running a hotel or managing a pub chain, we provide the legal support you need to run in full compliance.
Our licensing services
We advise and represent clients across all areas of licensing, including:
- Personal licence applications: Our BIIAB-accredited team provides full support for personal licence applications, including course training and same-day review of paperwork.
- Premises licence applications, transfers and variations: Our licensing solicitors offer clear guidance to ensure full compliance.
- Representation at licensing hearings and appeals: Count on expert support at licensing hearings and receive valuable support during complex appeals, protecting your business with strategic legal advocacy.
- Temporary event notices (TENs) and late-night refreshment licences: From pop-up bars to one-off events across England, Wales and Scotland, we keep you compliant and event-ready.
- Applications for hospitality alcohol licences: We advise on alcohol licence applications for restaurants, pubs, hotels, bars and nightclubs. Our team of solicitors ensure your alcohol premises licence is legally sound and efficiently processed.
- Advice on restaurant licensing and hotel licensing laws: We can help you navigate alcohol sales, entertainment permissions, and local authority regulations with confidence.
- Tenancy Documentation - we can review tenancy documents to make sure they reflect the statutory licensing framework
- Managed Houses - when buying or selling we can help you deal with licensing issues in your contracts
- Guidance on alcohol licensing laws: Our licensing lawyers can help ensure your operations meets your licence conditions for alcohol sales.
- Enforcement, reviews, and revocation proceedings: Our licensing solicitors defend businesses in regulatory investigations and represent clients during enforcement proceedings to safeguard their premises and minimise disruption.
Key contact
“Freeths LLP have been our long term legal partner providing expertise and professionalism in handling both our everyday needs as well as supporting us on the many acquisitions we have undertaken in the hospitality sector. Their dedicated team's commitment to providing commercially focused advice both adds value and helps us to achieve favourable outcomes in the transactions that we undertake.”
Mark Grunnell
Co-founder and Chief Executive at Red Oak Taverns
Our specialist team also focuses on:
Why choose Freeths for licensing services?
When it comes to navigating complex licensing laws and regulatory requirements, experience matters. At Freeths, our specialist licensing solicitors offer clear, strategic legal advice to help your business stay compliant, secure necessary approvals, and resolve issues efficiently.
We’ve advised restaurants, pubs, hotels, bars and event organisers on everything from personal licences to premises licence reviews, licensing appeals and alcohol licence applications. We combine national experience with in-depth knowledge of local authority processes and expectations.
- We go beyond licensing, as our team can advise on regulatory compliance, health and safety, property law, employment matters and more, ensuring seamless support for your entire operation.
- We've received a number of awards and recognition in the industry, including being named Law Firm of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2024.
- The Legal 500 and Chambers UK Legal Guide have given us multiple top-level rankings, showing that you can expect exemplary service.
- We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in England and Wales, and also the Law Society of Scotland.
“Leo and all of the team at Freeths are undoubted leisure sector specialists and are both commercial and pragmatic in their advice. They are able to flex their approach across a wide variety of transactions and add real value with their thinking and focus on successful outcomes.”
Phil Derbyshire
Group Property Director at The Restaurant Group Plc
FAQs faced by licensing solicitors
A licensing solicitor helps businesses meet the legal requirements for selling alcohol and other licensable activities. This includes helping secure premises licences and personal licences, and defending or appealing licence decisions. Our expert lawyers will guide you through compliance, represent you at hearings, and ensure your operations align with UK alcohol licensing laws.
The main piece of legislation for alcohol and entertainment licensing in the UK is the Licensing Act 2003. It sets out the rules for selling alcohol, hosting regulated entertainment, and providing late-night refreshments. Businesses must obtain the appropriate premises licence, and comply with licence conditions.
The Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) is the person who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the premises.
There is a mandatory condition on all Premises Licences that alcohol shall not be sold where there is no DPS, or when that DPS does not hold a Personal Licence or their Personal Licence is suspended. So if your DPS has walked out and left the business you need to submit an application to appoint a new DPS asap in order to carry on with the sale of alcohol.
It may take time for you to recruit a new Manager but you will need to act quickly and consider who could hold the position in the meantime. Its sensible to ensure that at least two members of staff hold a Personal Licence so that you’re covered in an emergency.
Testimonials
MA
“Leo and his team at Freeths act for The Big Table Group. I have had a longstanding relationship with Leo including my present role as Director of...
Matt Ainger, Property Director
Big Table Group
KA
“I have worked with Leo since April 2021 and he has provided me with inciteful and commercial support which can only come from someone who understa...
Kamran Aziz, Managing Director
RedCat Pub Company
HS
"Peach Pubs grew through acquiring freeholds and leaseholds (both private and pubco) over 20 years. Freeths became part of our success in the la...
Hamish Stoddart, Co-founder
Peach Pub Company
RM
“Partnering with Freeths has provided us with invaluable support for our property activities. Their expert guidance and seamless service have prove...
Richard Maslin, Property Director
The Liberation Group
JD
“We have worked with Freeths for well over a decade for matters concerning our wine business and wine bars and restaurants, and are consistently im...
James Davy, Chairman
Davy’s
GB
"I have worked with Freeths for over two decades, firstly as an advisor alongside them when acting for a client, and more recently as the principal...
Graeme Bunn, Property & Acquisitions Director
Red Oak Taverns
TD
“Leo and his team at Freeths act for BKUK Group Limited and have done so since the inception of the business in its current form in 2017. I have ha...
Tim Doubleday, CFO
BKUK Group Limited
NB
“Freeths has provided unrivalled legal advice to our portfolio businesses in the pubs sector for many years. Their team regularly goes above and be...
Noah Bulkin, Managing Partner
May Capital
JL
“I have used Freeths for many years now, both on property and transactional matters. There are many reasons that I have used them so much, but top...
John Leslie, Chairman
Oakman Inns
PM
"The Late-Night sector has had some particularly difficult trading conditions over the last year, which meant unfortunately we had to take on board...
Peter Marks, Chairman
Neos Hospitality
Legal insights
Speak to our licensing solicitors today!
Need advice on alcohol licensing, support with a licensing appeal, or help applying for a personal licence? Our expert alcohol licensing solicitors are here to help.
Call us and we will put you in touch with friendly and knowledgeable licensing solicitors who can support you and your case. Let Freeths help you stay compliant and focused on delivering exceptional hospitality.
Get in touch
For general enquiries, please complete this form and we will direct your message to the most appropriate person.