On-licence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On-licence is the British term describing an establishment where alcohol must be consumed at the point of sale, such as a pub, bar, nightclub or cafe.
Note that the licence is, strictly speaking, granted to a person and not to the establishment; there is therefore a legal requirement to display, above the entrance to an on-licence location, the name of the landlord/landlady who has been granted the licence by the local magistrates court. The sign will say something like: "NAME OF LANDLORD licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises".
Drinks sold at an on-licence have to be opened - for example, a bottle of wine cannot be sold without the cork being removed. This rule upsets a lot of customers, many of whom are unaware it's a law. In pubs for example it has been known for someone who has not finished their drink to sneak it out in a plastic bag or in their coat pocket.
If an establishment has both an on-licence and off-licence, it is referred to as fully licensed.
