Mobile bar business

Jimmyjo

Hi I’m wondering can anyone help me with this. I’m looking at starting a mobile bar business and I’m stuck on finding information about the license side of it. I know I can do a byob style for birthdays and weddings but I’d like to extend it to festivals and events where I would be charging for alcohol. If anyone has any experience or knowledge in this area it would be appreciated. Thank you

L1011

You need to get a pub licence temp transferred each time. Expect 100k of startup costs and very significant legal fees each time

Jimmyjo

L1011 wrote: »

You need to get a pub licence temp transferred each time. Expect 100k of startup costs and very significant legal fees each time

Is there no way of getting a license or can you only get one for brick and mortar pub ? Thanks for the reply

oblivious

Jimmyjo wrote: »

Is there no way of getting a license or can you only get one for brick and mortar pub ? Thanks for the reply

You could look at getting a licence extension from an current holder. It's how the RDS craft beer festival was run

BeenbaneE

Hi, Did you manage to get sorted with a simpler license? Getting a pub license seems daft

the beer revolu

There is no such licence currently in Ireland.
Nothing even close.

This despite videos of lads pouring beer out of the back of jeeps - it's not legal.

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

You could look at getting a licence extension from an current holder. It's how the RDS craft beer festival was run

Not to veer off topic, but I think the Madigan's involvement in the RDS was purely a contractual thing. The RDS is a designated national stadium for licensing purposes so doesn't need a pub extension.

mikeecho

the beer revolu wrote: »

There is no such licence currently in Ireland.
Nothing even close.

This despite videos of lads pouring beer out of the back of jeeps - it's not legal.

An off licence, is a premises that has a licence for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.

A pub licence is an On and Off licence, a pub can sell for consumption on the premises or for take away (that's the off part)

What these mobile pubs are doing is technically legal, They are utilising the Off part of their licence.
They are doing what they like of Tesco are doing with home deliveries of alcohol.

As long as the payment is made prior to the delivery, it's all above board.

These guys are delivering draft pints, instead of cans.

Actually, I just found this:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/pubs-can-deliver-pints-to-their-customers-again-following-legal-advice-1.4260451

L1011

The pouring in the van is the problem as goes location of service.

mikeecho

L1011 wrote: »

The pouring in the van is the problem as goes location of service.

But the sale took place in the licensed premises.

Currently no laws being broken.... They are bending and stretching the law, but it's not being broken.

The law doesn't differentiate between can, bottle or draught.

the beer revolu

mikeecho wrote: »

An off licence, is a premises that has a licence for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.

A pub licence is an On and Off licence, a pub can sell for consumption on the premises or for take away (that's the off part)

What these mobile pubs are doing is technically legal, They are utilising the Off part of their licence.
They are doing what they like of Tesco are doing with home deliveries of alcohol.

As long as the payment is made prior to the delivery, it's all above board.

These guys are delivering draft pints, instead of cans.

Actually, I just found this:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/pubs-can-deliver-pints-to-their-customers-again-following-legal-advice-1.4260451

Interesting, I stand corrected.

mikeecho

the beer revolu wrote: »

Interesting, I stand corrected.

It's a situation that amazingly has never (that I know of) happened before.

I'm sure that when the dust settles on all this C19 business, an amendment will be made to the Intoxicating Liquor act to remove this anolamy.

Losty Dublin

mikeecho wrote: »

But the sale took place in the licensed premises.

Currently no laws being broken.... They are bending and stretching the law, but it's not being broken.

The law doesn't differentiate between can, bottle or draught.

But dispensing from a van; is that illegal or legal? And I am asking not only from the point of view of the licence not extending to a vehicle but also from the H+S licence side and of course the motor insurance aspect.

L1011

mikeecho wrote: »

But the sale took place in the licensed premises.

Currently no laws being broken.... They are bending and stretching the law, but it's not being broken.

The law doesn't differentiate between can, bottle or draught.

I'm fairly sure the act of pouring the draught in the van is the issue as it changes the point of actual service (delivery not being considered that) and hence sale. It was served in a van that wasn't on the actual defined premises on the licence.

Its the poured pints services that were being stopped incorrectly that lead to that statement.


If it turns out you can do the actual pour anywhere once the sale is processed on the premises, expect this to be entirely banned or else the entire licencing structure is dead - you could open a room anywhere and offer people a phone app to "buy" the drinks from your licenced bar elsewhere.

Mellor

L1011 wrote: »

I'm fairly sure the act of pouring the draught in the van is the issue as it changes the point of actual service (delivery not being considered that) and hence sale.

If delivery is relevant to point of service. Then Tesco home deliveries are illegal, as are Cheers type services that existed for 20 years.

If it turns out you can do the actual pour anywhere once the sale is processed on the premises, expect this to be entirely banned or else the entire licencing structure is dead - you could open a room anywhere and offer people a phone app to "buy" the drinks from your licenced bar elsewhere.

Yes. You probably could. As long as there are no by-laws prohibiting publi drinking (as you not in a licensed premise).

The structure of the licensing laws hardly considered anything other than cash payments. Let alone real time ordering, from a remote location, via a hand held internet device.

L1011

Mellor wrote: »

If delivery is relevant to point of service. Then Tesco home deliveries are illegal, as are Cheers type services that existed for 20 years.

I said delivery wasn't related to point of service. You could get deliveries in the Victorian era and probably before with the bottle boy dropping some to your house; or from a licenced grocers along with the rest of your shopping being dropped out by horse and card. Its not like its an oversight in legislation, it was always there.

But actually pulling pints, pouring measures etc is not what was ever considered off-sales until, well, now basically.

Mellor

L1011 wrote: »

But actually pulling pints, pouring measures etc is not what was ever considered off-sales until, well, now basically.

The fact it’s never happened has no bearing on the legality.
I fully agree that it’s not what was intended, but that’s also irrelevant. All that matter is what the law says.

Quackster

Mellor wrote: »

The fact it’s never happened has no bearing on the legality.
I fully agree that it’s not what was intended, but that’s also irrelevant. All that matter is what the law says.

Exactly the point made by Constance Cassidy, a legal expert on licencing law, when discussing this recently. She thinks it's not illegal anyway.

drunkmonkey

There's a kombi on done deal for 5k, get it vinyl wrapped and off you go, think the want an Irish Franchise https://www.kombikeg.com

Do you need a licence to sell beer in a field?, could you sell maybe a hot dog and a free beer.

L1011

You need a licence. Sale and supply are covered so no, free beer does not avoid the rules

Mellor

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Do you need a licence to sell beer in a field?, could you sell maybe a hot dog and a free beer.

You need a license to sell beer anywhere.


Although there are plenty of people selling alcohol unlicensed.