(1)Where licensing justices are satisfied, on application made by a person interested in any premises which are—
(a)about to be constructed or in the course of construction for the purpose of being used as a house for the sale of intoxicating liquor (whether for consumption on or off the premises); or
(b)about to be altered or extended or in the course of alteration or extension for that purpose (whether or not they are already used for that purpose);
that the premises, if completed in accordance with plans deposited under this Act, would be such that they would have granted a justices’ on-licence or a justices’ off-licence for the premises, they may make a provisional grant of such a licence for those premises.
(2)Any such application may be made either for the provisional grant of a new licence or for a provisional removal of a licence to the premises, and the grant may be made accordingly.
(3)On an application by the holder of a provisional licence, licensing justices may consent to any modifications of the deposited plans where, in their opinion, the premises, if completed in accordance with the modified plans, will be fit and convenient for their purpose.
(4)Licensing justices shall, after such notice has been given as they may require, declare a provisional grant final on being satisfied—
(a)that the premises have been completed in accordance with the plans deposited, or in accordance with those plans with modifications consented to under the preceding subsection; and
(b)that the holder of the provisional licence is not disqualified by this or any other Act for holding a justices’ licence and is in all other respects a fit and proper person to hold a justices’ licence;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1
[F2(4A)The holder of a provisional licence may also apply to have a provisional grant declared final before the premises have been completed if it is likely that they will be completed as mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of this section before the date appointed for the next licensing sessions; and the licensing justices, if they are satisfied that the premises are likely to be so completed and are further satisfied of the matters mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection, may direct that the declaration may be made before the next licensing sessions by a single licensing justice.
(4B)In a case where a direction has been given under subsection (4A) of this section, a single licensing justice, after such notice has been given as he may require, shall declare the provisional grant final if he is satisfied that the premises have been completed as mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of this section.
(4C)Until a provisional grant has been declared final under subsection (4) or (4B) of this section it shall not be valid.]
(5)If on an application for the provisional grant of a justices’ licence the applicant deposits, instead of plans of the premises, a plan sufficient to identify the site of the premises, together with such description of the premises as will give a general indication of their proposed size and character (with reference in particular to the sale of intoxicating liquor), then—
(a)the licensing justices shall deal with the application as if the site plan and description deposited instead were the deposited plans, and shall assume that the premises will be fit and convenient for their purpose; but
(b)any provisional grant of a licence made on the application shall become ineffective unless affirmed under subsection (6) of this section in pursuance of an application made at a licensing sessions held within the twelve months following the date of the grant (or, where there is an appeal, the date the appeal is disposed of).
(6)Where licensing justices make a provisional grant of a licence by virtue of subsection (5) of this section the holder of the provisional licence may apply for the grant to be affirmed, and shall give notice of the application and deposit plans, as if he were applying (otherwise than under that subsection) for the grant of the licence; and the licensing justices shall affirm the provisional grant if satisfied that the premises, if completed in accordance with the plans deposited, will be fit and convenient for their purpose.
Textual Amendments
F1Words repealed by Licensing Act 1988 (c. 17, SIF 68A:1), s. 19, Sch. 4
F2S. 6(4A)–(4C) inserted by Licensing Act 1988 (c. 17, SIF 68A:1), s. 9