A popular pub in Hull that closed last year is set to reopen after its new owners were granted a licence.
The Polar Bear in the Spring Bank area of the city had shut its doors last year after the previous owners, the VMS Group, went into administration, blaming the pandemic, the Hull Daily Mail reports.
However, a new community interest company (CIC) has taken over the establishment and is preparing to reopen after gaining the licensing approval required from the city council. As well as serving alcohol, the Polar Bear will be able to stage live entertainment such as music and theatre to help it develop as a community hub.
Director of the organisation Mark Hall said last year: “We want to open this up to cultural and creative organisations to bring the building back into use seven days a week.”
In order to be able to fulfil the vision, however, the CIC needed to satisfy various criteria and go through all the correct legal channels to get licensed. For that reason, it is important to speak to pub solicitors at the outset to get all the help and advice required to ensure the process is carried out correctly without error or delay.
In order to be allowed to run a pub, a prospective landlord must become a designated premises supervisor (DPS), for which it is necessary to first gain an APLH personal licence.
As well as the personal and DPS details, applicants must provide a plan of the premises and operating details, such as what hours alcohol will be served.
The cost of the licence will depend on the rateable value of the property, which can vary from £100 to £1,905.
If a pub already has a licence but the landlord is changing, the new landlord can apply for a transfer of the licence instead of seeking a completely new one.