Licensing policy

Licensing Authorities must keep their licensing policies under review and consult and revise them at least in accordance with the statutory time scales. Accordingly and following public consultation there is a new licensing policy which takes effect from 3 January 2022.

Any application that has to be determined by a Licensing Sub-Committee on or after 3 January 2022 will be considered against the terms of this new policy even if the application was submitted to the licensing authority prior to that date.

The Licensing Policy incorporates a special policy on cumulative impact which covers Richmond and Twickenham town centres. The text that refers to Cumulative Impact and Cumulative Impact Assessment is contained in Section 10 and Appendix 3 of the Licensing Policy. A map of the areas covered by the special policy on cumulative impact is contained in Appendix 4 of the Policy. The evidence leading to the adoption of the special policy was presented to the Council's Regulatory Committee on 12 October 2021.

Download the Licensing Policy operative from 3 January 2022 (pdf, 1.4 MB)

How to get copies of the Licensing Policy

Hard copies of the policy are available from the Licensing Team based at London Borough of Merton, Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, SM4 5DX, or by emailing licensing@merton.gov.uk.

Previous versions of the Licensing Policy

September 2017 to January 2022

Licensing Policy - operative from September 2017 to January 2022 (pdf, 2.8 MB)

September 2012 to September 2017

Licensing Policy - operative from September 2012 to September 2017 (pdf, 1712KB)

January 2011 to September 2012

Licensing Policy - operative from January 2011 to September 2012(pdf, 1662KB)

January 2008 to January 2011

Licensing Policy - operative from 8 January 2008 to 6 January 2011(pdf, 685KB)

June 2005 to January 2008

This policy document was revised on 14 June 2005.

• Introduction(pdf, 97KB) (objective, activities, Licensing Committee)
• Types of Licenses(pdf, 84KB) (premises,personal, club premises, permitted temporary activities)
• Licensing Objectives(pdf, 116KB) (prevention of crime, public safety)
• Role of Licensing and Reviews(pdf, 73KB)
• Cumulative Impact(pdf, 92KB)
• Licensing hours, duplication and legislation(pdf, 81KB)
• Adult entertainment, tourism, employment, partnerships and strategies(pdf, 84KB)
• Conditions, contact details and applications, how to obtain copies of the Act and guidance(pdf, 53KB)
• Glossary(pdf, 103KB)
• Appendix A - Consultation(pdf, 86KB)
• Appendix B - Number of Licensing Premises in the Borough(pdf, 88KB)
• Appendix C - Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Act - Exemptions(pdf, 94KB)
• Appendix D - Table of delegation of Licensing Function(pdf, 69KB)
• Appendix E - Film Classification(pdf, 78KB)
• Appendix F - Legislation/Convention(pdf, 80KB)
• Appendix G - Strategies(pdf, 104KB)
• Appendix H - Maps of the cumulative impact zones(pdf, 3926KB)
• Whole policy document(pdf, 185KB) (without appendices) and complete Appendices(pdf, 4054KB)