Appeals, complaints and redress
Applicants or licence holders should contact the council in the first instance to appeal a decision, against a condition or to complain.
If your application fails
Any applicant who is refused a licence, or the renewal of a licence, may appeal to the local magistrates’ court – within 21 days of being notified of the refusal.
The right to appeal does not apply if the licence was refused on the grounds that:
- the number of sex establishments in the area exceeds the number which the council considers appropriate
- the grant of the licence would be inappropriate considering the character of the area, the nature of other premises in the area, or the premises themselves
Complaints
If you’ve contacted us to complain but would like further information, use the links below:
- in the UK Adviceguide
- outside the UK European Consumer Centre
Licence holders may at any time apply to the authority for a variation of the terms, conditions or restrictions in their licence.
If an application for a variation is refused (or if the licence is revoked) the licence holder may appeal to the local magistrates’ court – within 21 days of being notified of the revocation, or imposition of, or refusal to vary, the term, condition or restriction in question. A licence holder may also appeal to the crown court against a decision of a magistrates’ court.
Other redress
Any person objecting to an application for the grant, renewal or transfer of a licence may give written notice of their objection to the council, stating the grounds of the objection, within 28 days of the date of the application.