The Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Persons to whom licences may be granted N.I.

4.—(1) The person to whom a licence is granted (other than a housing authority to whom a licence is granted provisionally) shall be the owner of the business proposed to be carried on under the licence.

(2) A licence may be granted to an individual, to a body corporate or to two or more persons carrying on business in partnership.

(3) In considering the fitness of a person to hold a licence for any premises, a court shall have regard to—

(a) the character, reputation and financial standing of the applicant;

(b) the qualifications and experience of the applicant to manage the business which is, or is proposed to be, carried on under the licence, or the qualifications and experience of any person who is, or is proposed to be, employed by him in that behalf;

(c) the extent to which, by virtue of any estate vested in him, the applicant is entitled to possession and control of the premises.

(4) In considering the fitness of a body corporate to hold a licence, a court shall also have regard to the character, reputation and financial standing of the directors of the body and any other persons who have executive control of it, as if the licence were, or were proposed to be, held by them jointly.

[F1 (5) Where a person becomes or ceases to be a director of a body corporate which is the holder of a licence, the body must, within the period of 28 days of that change taking effect, serve notice of the change upon—

(a) the chief clerk; and

(b) the district commander of the police district in which any premises to which the licence applies are situated.

(6) A person who contravenes paragraph (5) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.]

F1 Art. 4(5)(6) inserted (6.4.2022) by Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 (c. 7), ss. 26(1), 47(2); S.R. 2022/63, art. 2, Sch.