The Registration of Clubs (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

PART III N.I. PERMITTED HOURS

Prohibition of supply, etc., of intoxicating liquor outside permitted hours N.I.

Prohibition of supply, etc., of intoxicating liquor outside permitted hours N.I.

22.—(1) Except as permitted by or under this Order, intoxicating liquor shall not be supplied, obtained or consumed in the premises of a registered club except during the permitted hours.

(2) If paragraph (1) is contravened—

(a) the registered club; and

(b) the person supplying, obtaining or consuming the intoxicating liquor; and

(c) any other person permitting that person to supply, obtain or consume the intoxicating liquor;

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

Closing of bar outside permitted hours N.I.

23.—(1) Any bar on the premises of a registered club shall be kept closed except during the permitted hours.

(2) If paragraph (1) is contravened the registered club shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a tine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

General permitted hours N.I.

24.—(1) Subject to the succeeding provisions of this Part, the permitted hours in a registered club other than a nightworkers club are the hours—

(a) on week-days, other than Good Friday or Christmas Day, from half past 11 in the morning to 11 in the evening; and

(b) on Good Friday from 5 in the afternoon to 11 in the evening; and

(c) on Sunday or Christmas Day from half past 12 in the afternoon to 10 in the evening.

(2) The hours for the supply of intoxicating liquor in a nightworkers club shall be fixed by the county court on the application for the grant of registration and may be varied by a court of summary jurisdiction on renewal of the registration and the hours so fixed or varied shall—

(a) not exceed the total of—

(i) on week days, other than Good Friday or Christmas Day, 11½;

(ii) on Good Friday, 6;

(iii) on Sunday and Christmas Day, 9½; and

(b) provide for a break of at least 2 consecutive hours between 2 in the afternoon and 5 in the afternoon on Good Friday; and

(c) not include any period between 1 in the morning and 6 in the morning of any day.

Exception N.I.

Consumption after permitted hours of liquor supplied during those hours N.I.

25.  Where intoxicating liquor is supplied in the premises of a registered club during the permitted hours, Article 22 shall not prohibit—

(a) during the first 30 minutes after the conclusion of the permitted hours, or

(b) in a nightworkers club, on Good Friday during the first 30 minutes after the beginning of the afternoon break,

the consumption or permitting consumption of the liquor in those premises.

Special occasion authorisations N.I.

Authorisations for special occasions N.I.

26.—(1) On the application of a registered club, not less than 7 days before the [F1 first] occasion to which the application relates, the sub-divisional commander for the police sub-division in which the premises are situated may, in writing, authorise the club to supply intoxicating liquor to members of the club and to guests of members of the club—

(a) except in the case of a nightworkers club, during the hours—

(i) on week-days from 11 in the evening to 1 in the morning of the day next following, or

(ii) on Sunday, not being 31st December, from 10 in the evening to 12 in the evening, or

(iii) on Sunday, being 31st December, from 10 in the evening to 1 in the morning of the day next following, or

(b) in a nightworkers club on any day, during the 2 hours following the end of the permitted hours,

in addition to the hours mentioned in Article 24, [F2 on such occasions specified in the authorisation as the commander thinks fit] , and any additional hours authorised under this Article shall be included in the permitted hours for the registered club.

(2) Not more than [F3 85] authorisations shall be granted under this Article to any club in any year.

(3) Nothing in this Article shall permit an authorisation under paragraph (1) to authorise the supply of intoxicating liquor on Christmas Day, Easter Day or Good Friday.

(4) Where an authorisation under paragraph (1) is in force in the case of a nightworkers club, the rules of the club or Article 5(8)(b) shall not prohibit the admission of guests of members to, or their presence in, the premises of the club during any additional hours authorised under this Article.

F1 Word in art. 26(1) inserted (1.3.2012) by Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 18), ss. 13(2)(a), 18; S.R. 2012/9, art. 2

F2 Words in art. 26(1) substituted (1.3.2012) by Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 18), ss. 13(2)(b), 18; S.R. 2012/9, art. 2

F3 Word in art. 26(2) substituted (1.3.2012) by Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 18), ss. 13(3), 18; S.R. 2012/9, art. 2

Miscellaneous N.I.

Defence in respect of consumption of intoxicating liquor by certain persons outside permitted hours N.I.

27.  In any proceedings under Article 22 for an offence of consuming, or permitting the consumption of, intoxicating liquor in the premises of a registered club outside the permitted hours or a period authorised under Article 26, it shall be a defence for the club or person charged to prove that such liquor was supplied by a person residing on those premises for consumption by him or his guests bona fide entertained by him at his own expense and that it was consumed by such persons in a part of those premises reserved for the use of the person residing on the premises.