For a pub or bar, the licence is the business — everything else on this list protects it. Alcohol conditions, age checks, fire, staff and waste, plus food rules if you serve anything to eat.
How to use this: every item is tagged honestly — Legal requirement means the law requires it; Strongly recommended means inspectors, insurers or licensing officers expect it. 19 items in total. Tap any item for the detail. This is general information, not legal advice.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own licensing systems. Selling alcohol outside your licence terms — hours, area, conditions — is an offence even with a licence.
Underage sales can bring fines, licence review and closure. Challenge 25 with a refusal log is the widely accepted standard councils and police expect to see.
Conditions (CCTV, door staff, last entry, outdoor drinking) are easy to drift from. A breach of any condition puts the whole licence at risk.
Registration is free and can't be refused, but trading unregistered is an offence. If you've moved premises or changed owner, you must register again.
Most small businesses use the FSA's free Safer Food, Better Business pack. Inspectors ask for it — keeping it current is one of the biggest factors in your hygiene rating.
Your council's environmental health officers can inspect without warning. Serious breaches of the Food Safety Act 1990 carry unlimited fines and possible prosecution.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland use the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (0–5); Scotland uses the Food Hygiene Information Scheme. Ratings are published at ratings.food.gov.uk for anyone to see.
Display is compulsory in Wales and Northern Ireland. In England it's voluntary — but a missing sticker makes customers assume the worst.
If you disagree with a rating you have 21 days to appeal, and after fixing issues you can request a paid re-visit. Don't wait for a bad rating to learn the process.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England & Wales; equivalent rules apply in Scotland and NI), the 'responsible person' must assess fire risk and record the findings.
Blocked fire exits are among the most common — and most cheaply avoidable — enforcement findings in small premises.
New equipment, new seating layout, new storage — each can invalidate your existing assessment.
Required from the first employee, with significant daily fines possible for going without cover.
Under 5 employees you still need a policy — it just doesn't have to be written down. Risk assessments are required either way.
Certain workplace injuries, illnesses and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the HSE. Have the reporting route written down before you need it.
Pavement seating, A-boards, late-night refreshment (hot food/drink between 11pm and 5am in England & Wales), music, street trading — each can need its own permission from your council.
Lapsed licences are treated as no licence. Renewal reminders from councils are a courtesy, not a guarantee.
Evidence of consistent age-check refusals and incident handling is your best defence at any licence review.
Regulated entertainment, pavement drinking areas and commercial broadcasting each carry their own licences or conditions.
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Underage sales, noise complaints and breaches of licence conditions. All three are process problems — a written routine (Challenge 25, noise checks, condition reviews) prevents most of them.
If you handle open food at all, food hygiene law applies and you should be registered as a food business. Even packaged snacks bring allergen and labelling duties.
Want city-specific rules too? See our free compliance guides.
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