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Complete Licensing

Our wraparound service will ensure you secure the correct licence to successfully and legally run your business. Whatever the issue, we’re here to help.

The solution to all your licensing matters in one place

The licensing process can be complex and involved, which is why Complete Licensing is here to help you every step of the way. We have expert consultants who can provide advice and guidance on every aspect of the licensing process or on specific matters. Our team of consultants come from a wide variety of backgrounds: lawyers, barristers, former senior police officers, acoustic consultants, industry-leading health and safety experts and others with first-hand experience of running successful and challenging night-time venues.

09/09/2026

Do you feel confident your premises would pass an unannounced inspection tonight?

You might have a premises licence and the corresponding policies and procedures in place but ensuring they’re followed during a busy shift is the real part of compliance.

If the police or licensing authority turned up at your premises this evening, are you confident your team could:
✅Provide your premises licence and summary?
✅Identify the DPS?
✅Explain your Challenge 25 and age verification procedures?
✅Operate the CCTV system and retrieve footage if asked?
✅Explain how welfare concerns and vulnerable customers should be managed?
✅Explain the conditions attached to your premises licence?

An unannounced visit will show gaps in your staff’s knowledge, record keeping and operations so ongoing training and compliance is essential to prevent serious licensing issues from occurring.

Would your premises be ready tonight?

Learn more about ongoing licensing compliance support here: https://bit.ly/4h6BQ4w

08/09/2026

👥 MEET OUR TEAM | Edward “Ed” Sherry OBE

Director of Strategic Licensing & Night-Time Economy | Complete Licensing

From 30+ years in the Met (≈20 in Westminster, including Soho & the West End) to strategic licensing support—Ed helps venues prevent incidents, respond effectively, and protect their licence, customers and reputation.

✨ Highlights

🚓 Former Met Police Chief Inspector

👮‍♂️ Commanded \~220 officers at Charing Cross (24/7 policing)

🤝 Worked with operators incl. Mitchells & Butlers

🏛️ CivicWatch multi-agency partnership (Westminster)

📍 Reviewed Southampton’s city-centre NTE strategy

👮‍♀️ Volunteer Police Cadets impact

✅ Inclusive model → all 32 London boroughs

📈 National Strategic Director: £5m+ secured + 200% growth

🌍 VPCs across every force in England & Wales

🏅 OBE (2017) + 🎓 MSc (Distinction) Risk, Crisis & Resilience

How Ed helps:

📄 Licences • ⚖️ Reviews/hearings • 🔍 Compliance • 📹 CCTV/evidence • 🧑‍🏫 Training • 🧯 Crisis planning/response • 🫶 Customer welfare

📌 2025 spotlight: Windmill Theatre (Westminster) decision named Ed as licensing consultant—variation granted in full.

Learn more about Edward here: https://bit.ly/4wYpNLD

07/09/2026

Understanding the Licensing Act 2003 (Series 8/20): The Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS)

Understanding the role of the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) is key to complying with the Licensing Act 2003.

The DPS is:

• The main contact for the police and licensing authority.

• Responsible for how alcohol is sold at the premises.

• Usually the person who holds the premises licence and a personal licence.

Why it matters:

• Every premises licensed to sell alcohol must have one named DPS.

• The DPS must give written consent to be named on the licence.

• If the DPS changes, the licence must be updated promptly or you risk enforcement action.

If you manage or own licensed premises, make sure:

• Your DPS details are current on the premises licence.

• The DPS understands their duties and is present often enough to oversee sales.

• Staff know who the DPS is and when to contact them.

Clear responsibility through a competent DPS helps protect your licence, your staff, and your customers.

04/09/2026

Have poor licensing practices become part of the daily operations at your premises?

When managers and staff work in the same environment every day, it can be difficult to notice when standards have started to slip.

Regular compliance checks and ongoing support can help licensed premises:
✅ Uncover overlooked problems within the premises
✅ Improve records
✅ Identify and correct routine mistakes
✅ Check staff knowledge and training
✅ Prepare for unannounced authority visits
✅ Gather evidence of responsible trading

Ongoing compliance support and regular visits from a compliance expert help you to understand whether your procedures are working before a visit from the police or licensing authority occurs.

Read our latest blog for more information on the importances of ongoing compliance checks: https://bit.ly/4yleDl6

02/09/2026

Good operators still face licence reviews.

A serious incident does not automatically mean a premises has been badly managed.

What matters is how the operator responds.

Was the incident dealt with properly?
Were the right procedures followed?
Was evidence preserved?
Were lessons identified and acted upon?

Licensing committees are looking at more than what happened. They are also looking at what happened next.

A strong response can be as important as the incident itself.

31/08/2026

Understanding the Licensing Act 2003 (Series 7/20): Personal Licences

Personal licences sit at the heart of the Licensing Act 2003. If you sell or authorise the sale of alcohol, you likely need one.

Key points to understand:

• A personal licence is held by an individual, not a premises.

• It allows you to authorise alcohol sales at any premises with a valid premises licence.

• You must be 18 or over, hold an accredited qualification, and have no relevant unspent convictions.

• The licensing authority can refuse or revoke a licence if you fail these criteria.

Why it matters:

• It supports responsible alcohol sales.

• It helps protect the public and reduces crime and disorder.

• It gives businesses flexibility when appointing a designated premises supervisor (DPS).

If you work in hospitality or plan to, understanding personal licences is essential to staying compliant and protecting your role and your business.

26/08/2026

In a serious incident, the first 48 hours can shape the entire case.

This is when:

• Key facts are still clear

• Records and evidence are easier to secure

• Small decisions can prevent bigger problems later

If your situation touches licensing or regulation, act early. Speak to people who deal with complex licensing and regulatory crises every day, so you don’t face it alone or leave important steps until it’s too late.

What’s one thing you’d want to know in those first 48 hours?

24/08/2026

Understanding the Licensing Act 2003 (Series 6/20): Premises Licence Conditions

Premises licence conditions under the Licensing Act 2003 are not optional extras; they are legal requirements that shape how you run your business.

Key points to understand:

• Conditions must be clear, practical and linked to the four licensing objectives (prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, protection of children from harm).

• “Standard” or blanket conditions are rare. Most are tailored to your activities, hours, and location.

• You must keep an up-to-date copy of your licence and conditions on site and make sure all staff know the rules that affect their role.

• If a condition is unclear, unworkable, or out of date, you can apply to vary the licence rather than risk non‑compliance.

• Breaching conditions can lead to reviews, restrictions, or even loss of the licence.

Treat your conditions as a practical manual for safe and lawful trading, not just paperwork to file away.

21/08/2026

Thinking of changing how your premises operates? A full variation is not always safer than a new premises licence application.

Three points to test your choice:

1) History: If your current licence has a record of complaints or reviews, a fresh licence can give you a cleaner start with tighter, clearer conditions.

2) Scale of change: Major changes to hours, layout, or activities may attract more scrutiny as a variation than a carefully shaped new application.

3) Local policy: Cumulative impact zones and local licensing policy can make one route more realistic than the other.

Before you apply, map out the risks, check local policy, and assess past issues on the licence. The “obvious” variation may expose you to objections that a well-planned new application could avoid.

19/08/2026

Good licensing mediation is not about “winning”. It is about finding the evidence that moves the conversation forward.

Behind the scenes this week, we resolved a police objection to a TEN without cutting back the event.

The starting positions were different, but the discussion stayed practical.

We had the evidence ready: previous events without incident, premises-specific crime and ASB data, and clear safeguards around security, CCTV, dispersal and incident management.

Where further restrictions were suggested, we discussed the reasoning behind them and tested whether they were actually necessary.

The result was a sensible agreement and the police withdrew their objection.

That is the value of mediation and constructive engagement in licensing: understanding the concern, presenting the evidence clearly and working towards a position everyone can properly justify.

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Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 19:30
Tuesday	08:00 - 19:30
Wednesday	08:00 - 19:30
Thursday	08:00 - 19:30
Friday	08:00 - 19:30
Saturday	09:00 - 17:00

Website

https://completelicensing.uk/

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