North Ayrshire Licensing Board can grant Occasional Licences for the sale of alcohol to:
- places which do not have permanent Licences (eg Community Centres)
- clubs which have 'special status' given by Section 125 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 (clubs which have asked for 'Part K' status cannot get Occasional Licences).
All Occasional Licences have 2 kinds of conditions. Some are:
- set by Law and apply to everywhere in Scotland (see schedule 4 of the 2005 Act)
- local to North Ayrshire
There are 2 sets of local conditions:
How to apply
Before you apply please read our Occasional Licence guidance notes (Word, 37kb). These notes explain how to complete the application form and the policies and legislation surrounding these licences.
Signs and notices - Section 110 Notice and Challenge 25 must be displayed, within the licensed area at the point of sale, for the duration of the Occasional Licence.
Download an Occasional licence application form (Word, 767b) and return it to us.
What to include in your application
Your Application must include:
- a description of the Premises
- a description of the activities proposed
The more information you provide will help the Clerk decide whether your Application can be granted quickly, or whether your case will have to wait until the next meeting of the Board. It is particularly important that you complete the additional information part of the application form if your event involves contact sports (like boxing) or fundraising.
Timings
You should apply giving as much time as possible, and at least 28 days prior to the date requested.
Applications made at least 14 days prior to the date requested are unlikely to be accepted. Application made between 14 and 28 days prior to the date requested are likely to be classed as ‘late applications’. This will mean that future late applications might be rejected.
You should always give plenty of notice because your Application must be advertised on this website for 7 days to allow members of the public to make any objections or representations.
How many Occasional Licences can I apply for?
An Application for an Occasional Licence can be made by:
- the holder of a Premises Licence
- the holder of a Personal Licence
- the representative of a Voluntary Organisation (you should give details of the Organisation)
- a Club
For voluntary organisations and clubs, within a 12 month period we cannot grant more than:
- 4 occasional licences each lasting more than 4 days
- 12 occasional licences each lasting less than 4 days
provided that there are no more than 56 days in a period of 12 months where your premises has an occasional licence in effect.
There are no restrictions on the number of occasional licences which may be applied for over a 12 month period by the holder of a Premises Licence or a Personal Licence.
Fees
Occasional licence fee: £10
If your Application is refused, or granted for less than you applied for, the fee is not refunded or reduced. Cheques made payable to North Ayrshire Council.
What happens next?
Once we’ve received your application, we will consult with the Police and Licensing Standards Officer. If neither make adverse comment, and the application is within the Board's Policy, the application can be granted under ‘delegated powers’. This means that the decision to grant the Licence is made by the Clerk, rather than wait for the next Board meeting.
If there is any adverse comment, or if the application is outside the Board's Policy, the Application must be referred to a Hearing of the Licensing Board. View the Licensing Board Meeting Schedule. You will be told about the Hearing and will be able to make representations in favour of your application.
How long does the licence last?
14 days is the maximum duration for an occasional licence. If the Licence is requested for more than 1 day, the Board may consider that this is not an 'occasion' at all.
View North Ayrshire Licensing Board Agendas and Minutes.
Please note: We follow National Fraud Initiative guidelines to protect against fraud.