1 Premises licences
Premises licences authorise the use of any premises (vehicle, vessel, movable structure or any place or part of any premises) for licensable activities such as:
- selling or supplying alcohol
- serving hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am
You’ll also need a licence if you provide various types of entertainment. You can find more about this on:
2 Licence issuing
Licences are issued by local district and borough councils, who consult West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service on the public safety elements of any applications under the Licensing Act 2003.
This gives us the opportunity to assess the nature of the application, premises type and fire precautions to ensure the public will be safe. As a result we may provide you with fire safety advice or conduct a fire safety visit of your premises.
The responsible person must also conduct a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment of the premises. This is a requirement of the Fire Safety Order.
You can find out more about licensing on your local district or borough council's website:
3 Premises licences guidance
What you need to do
When you apply for a premises licence, you must give written notification to the fire authority of your application. In your notification, ensure you include:
- the operating schedule
- plans of the premises in the prescribed form to which the application relates; details of fire precautions should be shown and include all provisions concerned in fire safety scheme for the premises, such as:
- fire resisting elements
- exit doors and routes
- signage
- emergency lighting
- fire warning systems
- fire extinguishing equipment or systems (provide 2 sets of plans)
- the date when the most recent fire safety risk assessment of the premises was carried out, along with a record of identified significant findings
- a summary of any proposed changes or improvements to remedy the significant findings, with the date of their implementation
- details of the occupancy numbers to be permitted in the premises, including the methodology used to establish the numbers and the management arrangements to ensure they are not exceeded
- a copy of the emergency plan
- supporting evidence demonstrating adequate maintenance of fire safety provisions and systems, for example, records of current servicing certificates
On receiving the notification, the Fire & Rescue Service will send an acknowledgement of the notification to the applicant and the licensing authority. We operate a risk-based inspection programme and so may not carry out a visit at this time.
The premises will need to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. To ensure compliance, the responsible person is required to carry out a fire risk assessment.
If 5 or more people are employed, or if a licence is in force relating to the premises, you must keep a written record of the significant findings. To assist you, see the guide most suitable for your premises.
Failure to carry out a fire risk assessment may result in formal action being undertaken or representation made against your license application. Find details on how to complete a fire risk assessment.
4 Fire safety in hospitality venues
Fire safety guidance for bars, restaurants, clubs and similar venues
Staff must take extra care when using sparklers, candles, blow torches, flambé equipment or any other ignition sources. These can produce large and uncontrolled flames if you do not manage them properly.
Venues must:
- only light food or drinks at the customer’s table using small, controlled ignition sources, never while carrying them across the venue
- consider whether intoxicated customers can safely handle food or drinks with naked flames
- make sure staff have full training and understand the extra risks of using naked flames
Venues that use indoor fireworks, sparklers or ice fountains must never use them near combustible wall or ceiling linings or decorations that could cause a fire to spread quickly.
Indoor fireworks and ice fountains contain small explosive charges. Venues must store and control them carefully. Businesses must:
- store these items away from heat and anything that could ignite them by accident
- check they are storing no more than 5kg of Net Explosive Content (NEC)
- apply for a licence if storing more than 5kg NEC (about 900 ice fountains)
- make sure intoxicated customers do not handle sparklers or ignition sources
Decorative materials, wall and ceiling linings
Some decorative materials on walls and ceilings can make a fire spread much faster. These include:
- seasonal decorations
- soundproofing materials
- real or artificial floral arrangements
- curtains, drapes and fabric wall coverings
- decorative panels and façades
Before installing any decorative material, venues must:
- confirm the manufacturer’s fire‑resistance certification
- check materials are suitable for hospitality settings where naked flames may be present
- include all décor changes in their fire risk assessment and staff training plans