How to display a public notice for a Premises Licence

Your most important job after submitting your Premises Licence application is to advertise it correctly. You are legally required to display a specific notice at your premises for 28 days straight and publish an advert in a local newspaper. Getting this wrong can invalidate your entire application, so it’s vital to follow the steps precisely.

The Public Notice at Your Premises

This is a specific, pale blue notice that must be displayed where it can be easily read by the public from outside your premises. It needs to be at least A4 size and printed clearly. It must be displayed for 28 consecutive days, starting the day after your application was officially submitted to the council.

What the notice must include:

• Your name (the applicant).
• The address of the premises.
• A brief description of the application (e.g., "Application for a new Premises Licence").
• The licensable activities you have applied for (e.g., sale of alcohol, late-night refreshment).
• The times you have applied for these activities.
• The address of the council's licensing department where the full application can be viewed.
• The final date by which people can make a representation (this is 28 days from the day after you submitted your application).

Make sure the notice is protected from the weather in a plastic wallet and securely fixed. It’s a great idea to take a time-stamped photo of it in place on day one as evidence.

The Newspaper Advert

Alongside the site notice, you must also publish an advert in a local newspaper that circulates in the area where your business is located. This must be done within 10 working days of submitting your application to the council.

The newspaper advert must contain the same key information as the blue notice on your premises. When it's published, buy a copy of the newspaper and keep the entire page with your advert on it as proof. You will need to send this to the council.

Top Tip: Most councils provide a template for both the site notice and the newspaper advert on their website. Using this is the safest way to ensure you include all the required legal information. Check your local council's licensing section online.

Why This Is So Important

The purpose of these notices is to give local residents and responsible authorities (like the Police or Environmental Health) the opportunity to comment on your application. These comments are known as 'representations'. If you fail to display the notice correctly for the full 28 days, or miss the newspaper deadline, your application will be rejected. This means you would have to start the entire process again, including paying the application fee for a second time.