The provision of Late Night Refreshment refers to any provision between 11 pm and 5 am of hot food or drink.

If you operate a business offering late night refreshment and are open between 11 pm and 5 am you must be authorised by Guildford Borough Council. An authorisation can be a Premises License or a Temporary Event Notice.

Late night refreshment is defined under the Act as the supply of hot food or drink to the public or a section of the public on or from any premises whether for the consumption on or off the premises (mobile units included) between 11 pm and 5 am.  This requirement includes takeaways, restaurants and places such as garages or service stations that sell hot food.

It does not include refreshments:

• Given away for free (but if any admission is charged or a charge is made for some other item then the activity still requires a licence e.g. charging admission but giving away refreshment.
• Supplied by a registered Charity
• Hot drinks by a vending machine. The vending machine however must be fully automated, collect the money within it and dispense the drink (the sort normally found in waiting rooms). This exception does not cover the provision of such drinks from a customer or staff operated machine in a restaurant or café.

Resident Guests or Club Members
It does not apply to hotel or guesthouse guests supplied by that hotel on a night they are staying, nor does it apply to persons camping on a site or staying at a holiday park similarly supplied. It does not apply to staff canteens for the staff of that employer (and guests) or for the provision for any trade or vocation only (such as a taxi drivers' refreshment hut used only for drivers and staff). It also does not apply to members of a recognised club (such as refreshments at a local sports club) but it must be a recognised club.

Licensing Team
Guildford Borough Council
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 4BB

Tel: 01483 444371
Email: licensing@guildford.gov.uk