Guidance for interested parties (Gambling Act 2005)

Objections

We can only consider your objections to the issue of a premises licence under the Gambling Act 2005 if you:

• live sufficiently close to the premises to be likely to be affected by the authorised activities
• have business interests that might be affected by the authorised activities
• represent persons in either of these two groups

Interested parties can be persons who are democratically elected such as councillors and MPs.

Other than these persons we will need written evidence (usually a letter) that a person ‘represents’ someone who either lives sufficiently close to the premises to be likely to be affected by the authorised activities an/or business interests that might be affected by the authorised activities.

Grounds an objection can be made

Competition is not necessarily valid reason for making an objection, we must be satisfied that if a business is objecting, that factors likely to be relevant include:

• the size of the premises
• how far people will travel to visit the premises
• whether the person making the objection has business interests in that area that might be affected.

In determining if a person lives sufficiently close to a premise we will take into account:

• the size of the premises
• the nature of the premises
• the distance of the premises from the location of the person making the representation
• any potential impact (number of customers, routes to be taken by those visiting the premises)
• the circumstances of the complainant

A complainant may be a private resident, a school or resident hostel all of whom have different circumstances.

Objections are not relevant if they do not relate to the Codes of Practice issued by the Gambling Commission or the licensing objectives:

• preventing gambling being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime
• ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
• protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling

Your objections must be received by the authority within the 28 day consultation period that follows the application. You will always receive a response from us, to any objection that you make.

Contact Licensing

Page last reviewed: 02 December 2021