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Scabbing an alcohol license

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  • 18-12-2019 3:35pm
    #1
    supersonic21
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭


    Hi all.
    The title seemed appropriate.

    I am looking to set up a business in the next year which will deal with selling rare Irish whiskey. I will sell only online, and will not have a physical premisis.

    I understand that I will only need a spirits off-license and pay the fee of €500, however, I have come to understand that I would have to extinguish a regular alcohol license i.e. a pubs license, in order to attain one of these. This is just way out of my budget for something that I'm not too sure will be successful or not.

    Does anyone know if I could approach a small-town off license and ask them if I can sort of piggy-back off of theirs for a fee? Where essentially my online whiskey store would just be a subsidiary of their physical off-license?

    I'm a bit stuck so I really am just spitballing ideas here. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.


Comments

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    #2
    Carawaystick
    Registered Users Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    I think you'ld need to get a wholesealer license to supply the Off License.


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    #3
    Claw Hammer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,164 ✭✭✭Claw Hammer


    Licences only apply to a premises.


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    #4
    supersonic21
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭supersonic21


    Claw Hammer wrote: »
    Licences only apply to a premises.

    Could you elaborate? Surely I would need a license of some sort to sell from a website though? I won't have a physical premises though.


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    #5
    Claw Hammer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,164 ✭✭✭Claw Hammer


    There is no general licence to sell alcohol. There are licences to sell alcohol from a particular premises.


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    #6
    StupidLikeAFox
    Registered Users Posts: 7,699 ✭✭✭StupidLikeAFox


    Lots of online off licenses are operating though, big and small operators. It may be a grey area.

    To your question, can you "piggy back" off a license for a physical shop, probably not. I would guess that the existing online offys can reasonably argue that the point of sale is a legitimate off-license, even if the transaction is carried out online. I don't think it would fly if you had a completely separate operation and organisation. Just an opinion though, Im not a lawyer. There are solicitors who specialise in licensing who might be worth having a chat with.


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    #7
    brian_t
    Registered Users Posts: 6,665 ✭✭✭brian_t


    supersonic21 wrote: »
    I will sell only online, and will not have a physical premisis.

    Are you posting the whiskey from abroad. If not then surely you will be selling it from a warehouse based in Ireland.


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    #8
    Samuel T. Cogley
    Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    brian_t wrote: »
    Are you posting the whiskey from abroad. If not then surely you will be selling it from a warehouse based in Ireland.


    Or a garage/spare room on an estate that doesn't allow a businesses to be run on it.


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    #9
    randomrb
    Registered Users Posts: 351 ✭✭randomrb


    I know you are here to avoid this but you need to consult a solicitor, if you are basing your business of something you need to be sure of the legality...


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    #10
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,776 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    supersonic21 wrote: »
    Hi all.
    The title seemed appropriate.

    I am looking to set up a business in the next year which will deal with selling rare Irish whiskey. I will sell only online, and will not have a physical premisis.

    I understand that I will only need a spirits off-license and pay the fee of €500, however, I have come to understand that I would have to extinguish a regular alcohol license i.e. a pubs license, in order to attain one of these. This is just way out of my budget for something that I'm not too sure will be successful or not.

    Does anyone know if I could approach a small-town off license and ask them if I can sort of piggy-back off of theirs for a fee? Where essentially my online whiskey store would just be a subsidiary of their physical off-license?

    I'm a bit stuck so I really am just spitballing ideas here. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

    I think your approach of finding a partner is a good one.

    Your business as you describe it is sales and marketing. You need a logistics/fulfillment partner with the appropriate licensing in place.

    I would really suggest you speak to your suppliers about this if you don’t have any other avenues to explore. A small guy might work if you had a contact bit you might be better off with someone bigger and more organized.

    These types of arrangements are a bit tricky but perfectly feasible with a bit of goodwill and consideration (in both senses of the word)

    A lot will depend on whether you are focused mainly on Ireland or plan to trade abroad too.


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