Resources / Guide / 5 min
Premises licence applications, explained for suppliers
What a new application, a full variation and a transfer each tell a supplier, how long the notice stays up, and where to find them.
Published
In England and Wales, a venue that sells alcohol, puts on regulated entertainment or serves hot food or drink late at night needs a premises licence from its council under the Licensing Act 2003. Bars, restaurants, pubs, cafés with a drinks licence, off-licences and convenience stores all go through the same process, and the process is public.
For anyone who sells to new venues, that makes the licensing register one of the earliest public signs that something is about to open or change hands.
The four application types worth knowing
| Type | What it usually means | Spend signal |
|---|---|---|
| New application | A venue that does not yet hold a licence: a new opening, or a unit being licensed for the first time | Strong: fit-out, till, suppliers, insurance |
| Full variation | A licensed venue changing what it does: longer hours, new areas, a different offer | Medium to strong: often paired with a refurbishment |
| Transfer | The licence moving to a new holder, which usually means the business has changed hands | Strong: new owners tend to refit and review suppliers |
| DPS change or minor variation | A new manager named on the licence, or a small change | Weak: rarely means spending |
Why the timing works in your favour
New applications and full variations have to be advertised. The licensing regulations require a notice at the premises, on pale blue paper of at least A4, displayed for no less than 28 consecutive days from the day after the application reaches the council, and an advert in a local newspaper within 10 working days. That 28-day notice period is when residents and the authorities can comment, and it falls before the licence is granted and usually well before the venue trades.
Transfers, manager changes and minor variations do not need a newspaper notice, so they only show up on the council’s own register. That is why we read the registers as well as the notices.
Where to find them
- The council’s licensing register. Most are searchable online by application type and date; some councils email a weekly list on request.
- The Public Notice Portal run by the News Media Association, which gathers newspaper notices with a postcode search and an Alcohol & Licensing category.
- The notice in the window, if you happen to walk past.
What to do with a record
- Look the applicant up on Companies House. A company formed in the last few months, registered at the premises, is very likely a new operator.
- Read the hours and activities. Late hours and entertainment point to a bar or venue; daytime off-sales point to a shop or café.
- Approach the business, not the individual. Where the applicant is a person rather than a company, treat their details with care: CiviFlow never shows them.