Drinks Licence for an 'Entertainments Bus

[Miniknight]

A friend of mine wants to convert a roadworthy double decker bus into a mobile entertainment venue. It will park up in different locations every night / weekend. She wants to serve alcoholic drinks on this bus - does she still need to have a drinks licence and if so, what sort does she need to get?? Is it exempt as it is not classed as a premises??

[brachiopod]

Yes, she will need a license, as would anyone who sells 'intoxicating liquor'.

Licenses do vary as to whether alcohol can be sold 'for consumption on or off the premises', and restrictions placed that limit the types of alcohol that can be sold, such as 'beer, cider and wine' (ie no spirits)or 'cider only'.

I would think it extremely unlikely that a Licensing magistrate would license a 'mobile pub'.

His / her main concern would be that you will be driving around aimlessly, parking up anywhere you like, causing nuisance as people congregate around, stopping in residential areas or anywhere you see a group of kids hanging around a street corner, and then of course, what about toilets?

I think the only way you would get a license would be to convince the magistrate that you are running pre-booked corporate events, nostalgia trips (say, if the vehicle was an old Routemaster bus) etc., and that you have contingencies for 'toilet stops', handwashing facilities etc (this would probably mean having your own premises as a base).

Even if a license was then granted, expect severe restrictions, such as 'wine only' .

If you are thinking about how other 'mobile bars' work (such as the 'beer tent' at the village fete or at a huge festival) these are 'Occasional Licences' that are granted to an existing licensee to sell alcohol at a place other than his usual licensed premises.

These have to be applied for in advance, and you will have to convince the magistrate that suitable arrangements have been made for toilet facilities, crowd control (if applicable, at a large event for example), or that any other public order / nuisance concerns have been addressed.