Are you frustrated with trying to grow your business and keep up with the reformed Liquor Act at the same time?

Well, we are excited to announce that we will be covering these areas in the "END the Confusion NOW!" seminar to be held at Berkleys on Ann, Brisbane on June 10th at 5.30pm – this is your chance to get all the answers you need, and more!

Liquor Reform

Leading expert Matthew Jones will take you through the most asked about issues facing the licensed hospitality industry today. In particular how to better understand legislation changes now and into the future. Matthew has worked with hundreds of licensees throughout Queensland to successfully navigate licensing laws, dramatically reducing the time it takes new and existing licence holders to start attracting paying clients. Matthew is passionate about ensuring you have the best advice and strategies to take your business to the next level.

Grow your Customer Base & Increase Repeat Business

We have invited Internationally Awarded Business Coach Joanne Melbourne to share her remarkable success with hospitality clients. Through simple-to-use systems Joanne has helped one client increase turnover by 59% and profit margins from 14 to 27%, in less than 10 months.

Joanne’s presentation will offer you tools that you can immediately use to improve your business performance. And, just for coming along, we will give you a zero cost, obligation free, 1-on-1 Profit Finding Session with Joanne, (valued at $395.00) to assist you with your future growth and success.

Where:	Berkley’s on Ann, cnr Ann & Edward Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 (map)
When:	10 June 2009 – 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm.
Cost:	$69.50 (incl GST) refreshments included, cash bar open at the hotel.
Presenters:	Matthew Jones & Joanne Melbourne
Bookings:	Call 07 3252 4066 or register online.

 

 

 

 

Don’t delay, places are limited. We’re looking forward to seeing you on 10 June.

If you buy a business with a liquor licence attached you must apply to have the licence transferred to you or your company. From 1 January 2009 an application for transfer must be accompanied by a Risk-Assessed Management Plan (RAMP) for the premises.

The RAMP must address certain statutory criteria associated with the management of the sale and supply of liquor at the premises. The RAMP must be approved by the Chief Executive and an approved copy will be returned to the licensee. Thereafter, the licensee will be obliged to operate the business in accordance with terms of the document.

We are able to provide incoming licensees with a RAMP which we guarantee will comply with all OLGR requirements. We provide this service on a flat fee basis from $600 plus GST for a low risk licensed premises such as a restaurant with standard trading hours.

Call our office on 07 3252 4066 or contact Liquor & Gaming Specialists for more information.

Certain low risk licensed premises may be exempt from the Risk Assessed Management Plan requirements.

The recent amendments to the Liquor Act introduced two new requirements for anyone transferring a liquor licence.

Risk Assessed Management Plan

An application for transfer of a liquor licence must now be supported by a Risk Assessed Management Plan (RAMP) for the premises. The RAMP must contain information, as prescribed by the Liquor Regulations 2002, about the conduct of business at the premises.

The information contained in the RAMP must address areas such as training of staff, surveillance, crowd controllers, measures to minimise noise and adverse impact on the amenity of the locality, lighting, community consultation and how you will ensure conduct of business at the premises complies with the Liquor Act 1992.

The RAMP must be approved by the Chief Executive and an approved copy will be returned to the licensee. Thereafter, the licensee will be obliged to operate the business in accordance with terms of the document

Liquor & Gaming Specialists can provide any licensee with a RAMP which we guarantee will comply with all OLGR requirements. We provide this service on a flat fee basis from $600 plus GST for a low risk licensed premises such as a restaurant with standard trading hours.

For more information on this requirement please download the OLGR Draft Guideline on Risk Assessed Management Plans (RAMP).

Licence Fees on Transfer

A less obvious ramification of the recent reforms is the requirement for an incoming licensee to ensure all licence fees have been paid before the licence is transferred. If the licence fee has not been paid by the due date, the licence will be automatically suspended and may be cancelled if the fees remain unpaid after 28 days.

Anyone applying for transfer of a liquor licence now will have to make a separate application for a Search of the Particulars of the Premises to ascertain whether fees are up to date.

From 1 July 2010 the component of the annual licence fees which relate to compliance history will be due and payable. This additional fee is calculated based on the compliance history in the preceding licence period – 1 July to 30 June. Therefore, incoming licensees are advised to also request details of the compliance history of the premises as any undisclosed adverse compliance could provide a nasty shock for the new business owner at the start of the next financial year.

If the licence fees are not paid by the due date, the licence will be automatically suspended immediately.If the fees remain unpaid the licence will be cancelled after 28 days. A licensee who has not paid the annual fee and continues to sell liquor after 2 March 2009 will be trading while unauthorised and may face severe penalties.

To pay your annual licence fee, download the self assessment checklist from here. Use the worksheet to calculate the annual amount payable and then divide it by two to work out the fee due by 2 March 2009.

Send your cheque payable to Queensland Treasury to:

Office of Liquor, Gaming & Racing
Locked Bag 180
City East QLD 4002

Latest News: At least one licensee has reported paying the fee three weeks ago but receiving a “Final Demand” in the last couple of days. If this has happened to you, we recommend you verify that the cheque has cleared from your bank and if so, immediately contact our office to find out what you can do to rectify the situation.

From 1 January 2009 the position of nominee for a liquor licence will be replaced by the position of approved manager. Anyone who is a nominee for a liquor licence on 31 December 2008 will be deemed to be an approved manager for the licensed premises from that date. However, the amendments to the Liquor Act require the licensee to have an approved manager available or on site at all times the premises is trading. Therefore, to cover the typical trading hours of a licensed premises, most licensees will need two or more approved managers on the roster.

A licensee must take reasonable steps to ensure that an approved manager is available or on the premises during licensed trading hours. During the transitional period from 1 January to 30 June 2009 the Licensing Division will consider the lodgement of an approved manager application as fulfilling this requirement.

The approved manager application forms have been available on OLGRs website for several weeks. Although the forms state that you must provide A copy of current Responsible Management of Licensed Venues (RMLV) and Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificates , the Division will accept applications without current certificates – provided the applicant gives an undertaking to complete the training as soon as possible.

Additionally, an employee who lodges an approved manager application before 1 January 2009 may act as an approved manager while the application is processed.

To ensure you can fulfil the new requirements relating to approved managers, we recommend you lodge all applications as soon as possible. To make an application online, go to the OLGR website. For more information on approved managers visit our documents page and download the OLGR factsheets.