Piers Warne, a licensing lawyer with over 20 years of experience, shares his expertise in navigating the complex world of alcohol licensing. He recounts his work at notable events like Glastonbury and the King's Coronation, revealing unique challenges faced by venues. The conversation dives into maximizing craft beer spaces and the importance of strategic planning for taprooms. Piers stresses community collaboration and compliance amid evolving legal requirements, warning of potential pitfalls while also highlighting opportunities for growth.
Proper licensing is essential for breweries and pubs, as it opens new sales opportunities but requires careful consideration of obligations.
Delegating management responsibilities to experienced individuals can enhance business operations and success in the competitive craft beer market.
Deep dives
Insights from a Licensing Expert
A licensing lawyer with over 20 years of experience highlights the significance of proper licensing for various establishments, including pubs, festivals, and breweries. He emphasizes that the growing trend of tap rooms has created new opportunities for brewers to sell directly to customers, which can help amplify their business. However, he warns that entering the pub business requires careful consideration due to long leases and obligations to sell other brands' beers. The expert advises brewers to think creatively about utilizing available spaces, as demonstrated by successful companies like Brewdog that transformed non-traditional venues into thriving bars.
Navigating Operational Challenges
The podcast discusses the differences between running a brewery and operating a bar, stating that expertise in bar management is crucial for those venturing beyond their own tap rooms. An example is given of a brewery owner who successfully expanded by hiring an experienced bar manager, leading to the opening of additional venues. This approach underscores the importance of delegating responsibilities to skilled individuals who can enhance various aspects of the business, such as product development and service quality. Proper management and collaboration can significantly impact success in the competitive craft beer market.
Future Regulations and Their Impact
Anticipated regulatory changes are likely to affect businesses in the alcohol industry, with a focus on digital ID usage and counter-terrorism policies. Currently, businesses cannot accept digital IDs for alcohol sales, but upcoming consultations could alter this rule, posing new challenges for compliance. Additionally, new legislation, inspired by past tragic events, will require public-facing establishments to develop and implement counter-terrorism strategies, particularly those with a capacity of over a hundred individuals. Awareness of these changes is essential for businesses to prepare adequately and avoid potential pitfalls associated with regulatory compliance.
What’s the largest event you’ve organised alcohol licensing for?
Well, today’s guest has licensed major festivals such as Glastonbury, pubs, bars – oh and the King’s Coronation, too.
Piers Warne is a licensing lawyer at TLT and has 20- plus years’ experience licensing premises for the sale of alcohol and other licensable activities.
This includes licensing breweries for direct sales to customers, online sales and for taprooms. He has acted on the licensing around sale and purchase of major breweries and small start-ups across the country and on registrations for AWRS and other relevant certificates, too.
So to learn more, we recently asked him to share his experiences and expertise from the licensing world, the opportunities that can arise and the potential pitfalls to avoid.
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