small food and drink hamper containing alcohol

Licensing Query – Myth Busted

Do you need a licence when providing alcohol in a welcome hamper?

Do you provide a welcome hamper? Usually these are curated with a little time and effort, sourcing local produce, fudge, hand made biscuits, a bottle of wine or locally brewed ale, catering for any dietary requirements and maybe children and pets.

A frequently asked question amongst FHL landlords is whether or not you need a personal or premises licence if you provide alcohol in your welcome hamper?

We’ve asked a number of our Local Authority colleagues in Licensing and they’ve confirmed:

If you advertise there is wine / beer / alcohol then YES, it could be considered that you’d need a licence because it implies it would constitute part of the sale.

BUT

If you don’t advertise, and the alcohol is a gift, then NO, you won’t need a licence.

We hope we’ve cleared it up for you and saved you the cost of a couple of licenses.

If you have any other queries we can help with, let us know. Remember, our membership allows you to ask any questions, big or small, and our intention is always to help, support and save you money.

Rose Woods