The Licensing Act 2003: key legal requirements 

The foundation of alcohol laws and regulations in England and Wales rests on four licensing objectives that shape how you operate: 

As a hospitality business, you need both a premises licence and a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) with a personal licence in order to sell alcohol. Your premises licence's operating schedule details the specific steps your venue takes to promote these objectives through your day-to-day operations. 

The role of the licensing authority 

Your local licensing authority oversees alcohol regulations in your area. They handle key responsibilities like issuing licences, updating policies and investigating breaches. They also work alongside police and local stakeholders to ensure venues maintain high standards of operation. 

Every premises licence comes with specific conditions that suit your venue. These include legal requirements and extra measures based on where you're located and how you operate. Working proactively with your licensing authority helps ensure these conditions support rather than restrict your business operations. 

Understanding alcohol sales and promotion laws 

Current alcohol laws and regulations require specific operational standards. You must implement appropriate age verification through Challenge 21 or Challenge 25 policies. These policies require staff to ask anyone who looks under 21 or 25 to show valid ID before buying alcohol. For businesses selling alcohol online, additional regulations apply to ensure age verification and responsible service in the digital space. [Read our guide to online alcohol sales regulations]. 

Additionally, your drinks service needs to include options for smaller measurements, such as 125ml wine servings, and make free tap water available to customers. 

In 2025, new measures are strengthening protections against drink spiking. These developments include: 

The focus on spiking reflects how seriously the issue is now being treated, with tougher penalties in place, including up to 10 years in prison for offenders and increased scrutiny of venues that fail to take preventative action. 

These developments reflect the hospitality industry's commitment to guest safety. Your teams need proper training to understand these requirements and apply them in their daily work. 

What alcohol licensing and training do your teams need 

Understanding alcohol regulations in the UK goes beyond basic compliance. From age verification to responsible service, your team needs practical, hands-on training to apply the laws consistently. Here’s what effective alcohol licensing and training should look like and why it matters for your business and your guests. 

Managing alcohol licensing across multiple venues 

Each of your venues operates under its own premises’ licence with specific conditions. These conditions often vary based on location, operating hours and local requirements. Your management approach needs to account for: 

Keeping up with alcohol licensing changes 

Regulations are changing all the time, and hospitality venues need to keep up with the latest requirements. Regular reviews of your procedures help ensure your business stays compliant as regulations develop. Your management team should regularly assess: 

Alcohol licensing training for staff: get them certified and ready 

Your team is key to keeping your venue compliant with alcohol regulations. Through proper training, they learn the responsibilities of personal licence holders and master essential age verification procedures. 

That’s why age verification is a core part of our training. Our Age Verification course covers accepted forms of ID and handling refusals with confidence. It’s about building confidence and consistency across your team. 

Training your team for responsible alcohol sales 

Serving alcohol brings complex situations that your teams need to handle professionally. Well-trained employees understand exactly when they can serve alcohol and, more importantly, when they should refuse service. They develop an eye for spotting signs of intoxication and learn how to handle refusals tactfully. 

Supporting vulnerable customers requires specific skills and understanding. Our Drinkaware Alcohol Vulnerability Awareness course helps your teams support customers who might be vulnerable. Staff learn to identify high-risk situations, manage harassment incidents and work with security when needed. The course focuses on real scenarios your teams face, from spotting early warning signs to handling difficult conversations professionally. 

Educating staff on drink spiking prevention 

Recent legislation has put drink spiking prevention at the forefront of hospitality safety. Your teams need to spot warning signs early and act quickly if they suspect an incident. This means working closely with security, knowing exactly how to support affected customers, and understanding when to involve emergency services. 

Beyond standard policies, proper training makes a real difference in preventing drink spiking incidents. Our Drink Spiking Awareness course teaches your teams to spot warning signs and support customers who might be at risk. This CPD-certified training, developed with industry experts and endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality, gives staff the knowledge they need to protect your guests and your venue. 

How digital training can make alcohol licensing a breeze 

On-demand training: maintaining compliance across your team 

Managing employee turnover while keeping your venue fully compliant presents real challenges. Our digital platform helps you track, manage and maintain compliance across your entire operation. 

We offer a complete suite of accredited courses including the Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH) and the Award for Licensed Premises Staff (ALPS). For Scottish venues, we provide the Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (SCPLH) along with SCPLH refresher courses, ensuring you meet specific regional requirements. 

Our e-learning courses combine essential compliance content with engaging, practical training that prepares your teams for real workplace situations. 

Track your team’s progress in real-time 

Our digital platform gives managers clear oversight of their employee's alcohol licensing qualifications, from personal licence holder requirements to premises staff training. Our platform helps you: 

Custom training for your venue’s specific needs 

Whether you operate under English, Welsh or Scottish licensing laws, each region has its own requirements for alcohol sales. Our courses cover the specific regulations for your area: 

Get your alcohol licensing training sorted today 

In this article, we covered the key aspects of UK alcohol regulations and how proper training strengthens your teams' ability to maintain compliance while delivering excellent service. With new legislation around drink spiking coming in 2025 and ongoing changes to alcohol laws, staying ahead of training requirements helps your teams handle complex situations. 

At Access CPL Learning, we transform how hospitality venues manage their alcohol licensing requirements. Our platform automates training assignments, monitors compliance and maintains audit-ready records. With courses covering both UK-wide and regional requirements, we ensure your teams meet their alcohol service responsibilities effectively. 

Ready to get started? Explore our full range of alcohol licensing courses on our website or speak with our team about a training programme that works for your business.