Short answer: if your premises licence says alcohol sales stop at a particular time, locking the doors does not extend those hours. Continuing to sell or supply alcohol as part of the business can put the licence and the people running the venue at risk.
The old “no money changes hands, so anything goes” explanation is too confident. Whether an after-hours gathering is genuinely private, whether alcohol is being sold or supplied, who is present and what the licence or tenancy says all matter.
[image idea: a closed pub door with the licence summary and a clock visible inside, showing the difference between closing time and licensed hours]
Why a lock-in is risky
A pub is not outside licensing law just because customers are behind a locked door. Tokens, tabs, cover charges, “members’ drinks” and payments disguised as something else can still look like a sale or supply connected with the business. Noise, safety, fire capacity and insurance continue to matter too.
What about a private gathering?
A genuinely private gathering may raise a different set of questions, but it is not a blanket exemption. You need to consider who invited the guests, who owns or controls the premises, whether the event is private, how alcohol was obtained and supplied, whether anyone is paying and whether the activity is really separate from the licensed business.
Do not follow old internet advice telling guests to leave and re-enter through a side door. That is not a substitute for proper advice.
Use a Temporary Event Notice where appropriate
If you want alcohol or licensable entertainment outside the existing authorisation, ask the local authority whether a Temporary Event Notice is the correct route and whether the timing, limits and other requirements are met. A TEN is not a universal answer, so apply early and check the current rules.
Practical checks before anything happens
- read the premises licence and operating schedule
- check the lease, tenancy, pub-company contract and insurance policy
- confirm who is responsible for the premises and the guests
- consider fire safety, capacity, noise and transport home
- get written advice if the plan involves alcohol, money or a public invitation
For related guidance, start with Guides and the planned Answers archive.
Bottom line
Never treat a lock-in as a clever shortcut around licensed hours. Stop trading when the authorisation says to stop, and get specific advice before arranging anything after hours.