Mincoffs Solicitors LLP licensing and gaming team, led by Newcastle-based Matt Foster, is frequently the first port of call for clients in the leisure and hospitality sector, seeking advice on premise license applications and guidance on reviewing premise licenses. Foster also handles contentious applications, enforcement actions and prosecutions. The firm is also sought out by operators for on-site and online training to staff.
Licensing in North
Mincoffs Solicitors LLP
Practice head(s):
Matt Foster
Testimonials
‘They lawyers are always available, or ring me back in a timely manner – I’ve never had to ring more than once. The key stand out with Matt Foster is that his main concern really is the client, not his fee.’
‘Matt Foster is an exceptionally good licensing solicitor, with a good relationship with the licensing committees at the local authorities in the region, often enabling him to achieve positive outcomes for his clients at an earlier stage than might normally be expected.’
‘Matt Foster is highly regarded for his technical knowledge, but also his approachable nature and commerciality. He responds promptly to enquirers and is happy to provide help to colleagues across the sector on an informal basis when required.’
Key clients
Barhound Ltd
Imran Hussain
Camerons Brewery
Little Twigs Limited
Leonardo 19 Limited
Sebastiano Liosi
Limencollo Limited
East Coast Concepts
Twenty Twenty Limited
Noble Corp
Middlesbrough Empire 2008 Limited
Monic Elvet Limited
One Collection Group
Cairn Group
Broadway Supermarket Limited
Marson Developments Limited
SPV Capitol Limited
Elite Skills Arena Limited
Work highlights
- Advising SPV Capitol Limited on an application for a shadow premises licence for a hotel in Stokesley, North Yorkshire.
- Advising Marson Developments Limited on new premises licence application in a seafront location in Roker.
- Assisting Woodman Durham Limited with a review of the premises licence brought by Durham Parish Council in regard to public nuisance issues created by the use of an outside event space.
Sintons LLP
Clients in the leisure and retail sectors, including the food and beverages space, frequently seek out Sintons LLP’s licensing team for advice on obtaining a new premise license. Newcastle-based team head, Sarah Smith, leverages her connections with licensing authorities and responsible bodies, and also has expertise in the taxi licensing field. Drafting responses to public bodies on behalf of trade associations also forms part of the team’s mandates.
Practice head(s):
Sarah Smith
Testimonials
‘Excellent staff and approach to clients.’
‘We have been dealing with Sintons for over 20 years. The licensing team have dealt with adult gaming centre premises licence variations, applications as well as submitting an annual return to the gambling commission.’
‘Sarah Smith is the head of licensing and has a thorough knowledge of the Gambling Act as well as having developed personal contacts within local authority licensing officers. She is very efficient and well qualified to deal with licensing matters.’
‘The team is Sarah Smith.’
‘If Carlsberg did licensing law, they would do it like Sarah Smith. Knowledgeable, thorough, personable, optimistic yet realistic, Sarah is very highly regarded by the trade and by licensing authorities. She is a shining example of what a solicitor should be.’
Key clients
Danieli Holdings Ltd
Ladhar Group LLP
Malhotra Group Ltd
Apartment Group Ltd
Fenwick Ltd
Northumberland Estates Ltd
Newcastle United Football Co Ltd
Hibou Blanc Ltd
Pumphreys Blues Café Limited
The Auckland Project
Copenhagen 1801 Limited
Sayturk Group Limited
HRC Newcastle Ltd
Azalea Inns Limited
SDD Consultancy (North) Limited
Tokyo Industries (Ultimate) Limited
Dead Vibey Leisure Limited
Sir John Fitzgerald Limited
RSGD Limited
H T Spaces Limited
Braintrust Collective Limited
The London Cocktail Club Limited
Building Design Northern Developments Limited
Sunderland Business Improvement District Limited
Kem Guclu
Work highlights
- Obtained a new premises licence for Anson House 8 Limited for a new entertainment and event space with a customer capacity of around 2000 people in a city centre.
- Obtained an extension of hours on a premises licence for Pumphreys Blues Café Limited for a busy city centre location in a special stress area.
- Redrafted and negotiated a resolution and grant of a premises licence to permitt late night refreshment in a special stress area for RSGD Limited, after their own application resulted in significant resistance from Responsible Bodies.
Ward Hadaway LLP
Ward Hadaway LLP’s licensing and regulatory team, led by Richard Arnot
, advises clients across the retail and leisure sectors, including national supermarket chains, hotel groups, restaurants, pubs and sporting venues on a plethora of aspects of the Licensing Act 2003. The experienced Arnot provides such clients with enforcement, review, temporary event notices, variations, and licensing strategies, namely personal and premise licenses. The firm routinely advises clients on new premise applications for hotel development on a regional and national scale.
Practice head(s):
Richard Arnot
Key clients
Co-operative Food Group Ltd
Iceland Food Ltd
Thursdays Ltd – TGI Friday
City Hotels Ltd
Dominvs Group
Timec 1762 Ltd
Lane 7 Ltd
Tomahawk Steakhouses Ltd
Harbour Hotels Ltd
Inn Collection Group
Work highlights
- Applied for a new Premises Licence for a national convenience store operator for a new store in a Cumulative Impact Zone.
- Applied for new premise licence for a City Hotels Ltd in Whitechapel, London.
- Acted on behalf of a Crowne Plaza branded hotel in their objection to the grant of a new licence for a box-park style premise adjacent to it.