Sarah is a licensing and hospitality expert with over 13 years’ experience advising businesses and individuals on all aspects of licensing law, licensing strategy and the impact of insolvency upon licensed premises.
She has particular expertise in contentious licensing applications and has repeatedly obtained new premises licences and extended hours within challenging Cumulative Impact Zones across the UK, including premises licences for large-scale developments within central London.
Throughout her career, Sarah has developed relationships with many of the statutory authorities which often results in expedited and pragmatic solutions to allow licences to be granted. Where a hearing becomes necessary, she represents clients at hearings before Licensing Sub-Committees across the country.
Sarah represents a wide range of clients including national pub and restaurant operators, hotels, entertainment and live music venues, nightclubs, café chains, landlords and developers.
Sarah makes the complex world of licensing very simple, and both her and her team are excellent. Diligent, communicative and supremely knowledgeable.
Mick Hill – Building Development Manager, Mitchells and Butlers PLC
Sarah is proactive in thinking of ways to advance the client’s case and position tactically to achieve successful outcomes.
Sarah Clover – Barrister
Expertise
- Licensing law
- New premises licence applications
- Full and minor variations of licences
- Temporary Event Notices
- Changes of Designated Premises Supervisor
- Licensing reviews and summary reviews
- Licensing appeals
- Closure Orders
- Sexual Entertainment Venues
- Regulatory compliance
- Operating policies and procedures
- Licensing training
- Advising on insolvency relating to licensed premises
- Advising on leases and contracts
- Due diligence exercises and licensing strategy
Experience
General Licensing
- Dealt with all aspects of licensing work for a leading UK pub operator with approximately 1,800 premises.
- Advised a leading UK pub operator upon the licensing implications of the acquisition of another pub company.
- Advised upon the licensing applications required for the Commonwealth Games 2022.
- Advised upon contract provisions and leases for an international hotel chain.
- Obtained licences for a multi-venue, large-scale development within Camden’s Cumulative Impact Zone including successfully representing the applicant at a hearing where the applications had attracted representations from the authorities and local residents.
- Successfully defended a review of the premises licence for a flagship Camden pub (located within Camden’s Cumulative Impact Zone) to retain the 2am licence after the Metropolitan Police had sought to reduce the hours to 11:30pm.
- Defended a review of the premises licence for a Hampshire pub which was initiated by local residents and sought to curtail the use of a newly refurbished beer garden.
- Represented a leading holiday park operator at a summary review hearing following a death at a park. Successfully negotiated an agreed position with Sussex Police which allowed the premises to continue to provide entertainment for families visiting the park pending the full review hearing.
- Successfully defended a review of the premises licence for a pub which was alleged to have persistently sold alcohol to underage children.
- Secured variations of the hours for several pubs located within Westminster’s Stress Area to enable the premises to sell alcohol at earlier times on weekends.
- Dealt with various pre-application advice meetings for operators of a multi-site development located within Westminster’s Stress Area.
- Represented a well-known London premises at a meeting with the Metropolitan Police following an alleged firearms incident.
- Defended a review of a Loughborough nightclub’s premises licence to retain the licensed hours after Leicestershire Police sought to reduce the hours.
- Secured a premises licence for a large hotel development at Bankside, London.
- Secured a new premises licence for a new Italian restaurant and bar in Manchester
- Secured a new premises licence for a high end steak restaurant and cocktail bar concept in Manchester City Centre
- Advised a famous London pub upon allegations of racial discrimination by a member of its security team
- Secured the variation of a licence for a high end deli concept in central London, despite opposition from local residents and resident’s associations
- Secured extended hours for a high end steak and cocktail restaurant and bar in Leeds City Centre
- Advised a hotel operator upon a large scale redevelopment of their hotel premises in Newquay and secured the necessary premises licence to approve the proposed changes to the hotel layout and operation.
- Defended an application for a review of the premises licence brought by the Metropolitan Police. The Police alleged that a number of incidents had taken place at the premises and that the hours for licensable activities should be reduced.
- Drafted appropriate conditions to accompany an application for extended trading hours, which ensured that the Authorities had no concerns. As a result, the application was granted without the need for a hearing before the Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee.
- Advised on a dispersal order issued by the Police that would have prevented a festival for 500 people from going ahead. Recommended amendments to the festival’s operating policies and security provisions; liaised with the Police and Licensing Authority; and facilitated discussions between the festival operators and the Police, resulting in permission for the event to proceed.
- Advised on event conditions attached to a premises licence following attempts by the Council and local residents to prevent a charity event in aid of a local school from taking place.
- Advised an operator of high-end restaurants in Beverley and York on extending their premises licences to allow earlier opening hours and the sale of breakfast and brunch.
Sexual Entertainment Venues
- Secured the renewal of a heavily contested Sexual Entertainment Venue Licence in Birmingham City Centre.
- Secured the renewal of a Sexual Entertainment Venue licence in Maidenhead which faced opposition from local residents.
- Advised upon applications for new Sexual Entertainment Venues in Cheltenham.
- Instructed to lodge a Crown Court Appeal in respect of a refusal to renew a Sexual Entertainment Venue Licence
- Instructed to deal with an appeal against the refusal to renew and revocation of a Sexual Entertainment Venue licence for a premises in Whitechapel
- Appealed to the Crown Court against the refusal to renew a Sexual Entertainment Venue Licence
Insolvency
- Advised a national coffee shop operator of the impact of an insolvency event upon their premises licences and submitted applications to ensure the estate could continue to trade.
- Advised upon an insolvency event and lapse of a premises licence in respect of a central London Restaurant located within Westminster City Council’s Stress area and obtained a new premises licence.
- Advised landlords regarding shadow licence applications.
Gambling
- Undertook a secondment at the UK Gambling Commission whilst training as a solicitor.
- Prepared and submitted betting premises licence applications for a UK leading gambling company.
- Prepared and submitted Operating Licence applications to the Gambling Commission.
- Advised pubs and bars upon the types of gaming which could take place in their premises without the requirement to obtain a licence.
- Submitted applications for bingo premises licences for a number of operators including holiday parks and also applied for Unlicensed Family Entertainment Centre Permits, Adult Gaming Centre and Family Entertainment Centre premises licences.
Training
- Delivered training upon Licensing and Gambling Qualifications and providing training regarding the licensing process and hearings to Licensing Committee members.
- Regularly invited to speak at conferences involving the licensed trade and has also written articles for the licensing trade press.
- Delivered training to operators regarding operating practices, policies and procedures and staff training.
Recognition
Recognised by Chambers UK 2025 for Licensing
“It was a pleasure to work with a highly professional lawyer such as Sarah.”Chambers UK 2025
Acknowledged by Chambers 2025 for advising clients primarily in relation to contentious issues related to new licence applications, as well as licence variations.
“Sarah is extremely knowledgeable and strategically aware.” Chambers UK 2024
Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH)
Sarah is a Certified Executive Coach
Career
Sarah qualified as a solicitor in 2012. Prior to joining Keystone Law, she worked at the following:
- Gambling Commission
- Poppleston Allen