Alcohol licensing – can you supply ‘free’ alcohol in your holiday home?

As a holiday home owner, it’s important to make first impressions count for guests, and complimentary drinks may seem like a great place to start. However, many owners aren’t aware of the alcohol licensing laws when providing ‘free’ alcohol in a welcome pack.

We’ve summarised the alcohol licensing laws and what you need to do to give your guests a seasonal tipple.

Owner advice: alcohol licensing

Use the quick links below to navigate to a particular topic about alcohol licensing, or read on for the full guide on alcohol licensing laws in your holiday home.

• Can you include complimentary alcohol in your welcome pack?
• Alcohol licensing laws
• What does an alcohol license cost?
• Holiday home owner support

Can you include complimentary alcohol in your welcome pack?

Like many holiday home owners, do you include a welcome pack or hamper filled with local produce that may also include a cheeky tipple for your guests to enjoy?

Many guests enjoy the surprise of receiving a bottle of Prosecco or a local craft gin as part of the ‘home away from home’ experience. And many have come to expect this when booking a self-catering holiday.

However, this could become a thing of the past with the legislations from local councils set to prosecute those who are found to be in breach of alcohol licensing laws.

In short, you cannot provide alcohol in your welcome pack unless you have the correct alcohol licenses in place. Read on to find out more.

Alcohol licensing laws

Visit Britain have issued the following statement about providing “free” alcohol to guests…

“You need a licence to sell alcohol – this includes providing ‘free’ alcohol, because it is an incentive to purchase and/or is included in your pricing structure. The fact that you charge the guest for staying in your accommodation means that they are essentially paying for the alcohol that is provided. In other words, the guest has effectively paid a “consideration” for that service. It is not free”.

The 2003 Licensing Act states that you must have both a Personal Licence and a Premises Licence in order to ‘sell alcohol on your premises’, even if no monetary transaction takes place.

Read Visit Britain’s Advice Regarding Alcohol Licensing Laws for more information on how to stay on the right side of the law.

What does an alcohol license cost?

The cost to obtain a Premises Licence is based on the property’s rateable value. If the license is approved an annual fee will be charged. The application process can take between one to three months (sometimes longer).

A Premises License would permit your holiday home to supply alcohol in welcome packs. You can apply for a license via Cornwall Council, find out more here.

In addition, a premises must also have a designated premises supervisor who holds a Personal License. The cost of a Personal Licence varies from £27. You can view all accredited Personal License qualification partners here. This single fee covers qualification registration, certification, and training.

Cornwall Council are advising holiday home owners to exercise with caution when it comes to providing complimentary alcoholic beverages for their guests. Be sure not to mention that alcohol will be supplied as part of the package the guest has purchased.

Holiday home owner support

To put your mind at ease when it comes to alcohol licensing and letting queries, our friendly team are always on hand to offer 24/7 support.

We also have plenty of useful owner advice on our blog. Read our article about holiday home legal requirements to learn more about holiday letting laws, or for more information on welcome packs for your holiday home, read our blog on preparing a guest information folder.

To find out more about letting with Cornish Cottage Holidays, email us, call 01326 573808 or complete the form below to request contact from our team, including a copy of our FREE Owner Guide.

The information contained in this article was accurate at the time of writing, based on our research. As a holiday letting owner you are responsible for compliance with health & safety laws, regulations and guidance, and for having suitable insurances in place (not Sykes Holiday Cottages or its brands (Sykes)). From time to time, Sykes shares information with you on the topic of health and safety and insurance. When it does so, it is not providing you with advice (legal, financial, tax or otherwise); please seek your own as you see fit. In addition, it is not making any representations or warranties about the information being complete or free from errors or inaccuracies. Sykes shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising under or in connection with your reliance on it.