Apply for an extended hours liquor licence for the festive period
The Highland Licensing Board have agreed the festive policy hours for 2026/27.
Key dates to note are:
- From Friday 4 December 2026 (allowing extensions to licensed hours commencing Thursday 3 December into Friday 4 December)
- Saturday 2 January 2027 (allowing extensions to licensed hours commencing on Friday 1 January into Saturday 2 January only)
Premises will generally be granted the following extended hours on the following days within the festive period identified by the Board, unless, the Board consider that there are material reasons to refuse the application.
| Description of premesis | Terminal hour | Festive period which may be applied for |
|---|---|---|
|
Late night opening premises (as defined in section 2.3 of the Board’s Policy Statement 2023-28) |
4am if significant entertainment is provided continuously from 10pm, or 2am if no significant entertainment is being provided. For the avoidance of doubt, the late opening mandatory which are imposed on late opening premises licences (including “hybrid” premises) will apply to these premises during the festive period, whether they are open to 4am or open to 2am as set out above. |
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and New Years Day (irrespective of which days of the week these fall on). |
|
Other on-sales premises |
2am |
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and New Years Day (irrespective of which days of the week these fall on). |
|
All on-sales premises |
Applicants seeking extended hours on any of these days of the week will require to show that the additional hours are required for some other special event or occasion to be catered for on the premises, or for a special event of local or national significance other than just the fact that it is the festive season. | Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (unless Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Hogmanay or New Year’s Day) |
Read the full policy and conditions
Apply for an extended hours licence
The application fee for an Extended Hours application for the festive period is £10.
Apply for an extended hours liquor licence
For any queries about the festive policy hours, contact your local licensing office.