Private Hire Operators with
operating centres in late night venues
To facilitate the provision of safe travel for those attending nightclubs and other late night venues, some existing operators have made arrangements with club proprietors to run operating centres from such venues, and have successfully applied to the PCO to have the venue’s premises added to their PHV operator’s licence as an licensed operating centre.
However, ongoing enforcement work by the PCO and the Metropolitan Police Service has shown that some operators are failing to comply with private hire legislation, (
Really?) PCO guidelines and other conditions of licensing in the way in which they take bookings at such venues.
Operators are reminded that they:
�� must only accept bookings at the premises forming the licensed operating centre, that is, inside the building forming the venue. The Licensing Authority does not consider entrances to the building, or open areas adjacent to the street outside the building (whether cordoned-off, roped-off or divided with planters etc.) to form part of the licensed operating centre premises.
�� must not, under any circumstances accept bookings on the street;
�� must keep booking records securely on the venue premises, and they must be available for inspection by the PCO or police officers;
�� must display a copy of their licence at each operating centre specified in the licence.
If an operator is found breaching his/her obligations under the Act by accepting bookings outside the licensed operating centre, after failing to heed a warning given by the PCO, (
) the Licensing Authority will take steps to revoke the licence for that operating centre. Where public safety is at risk the decision may have immediate effect. The PCO will not hesitate to take firm action in these circumstances.
Any operator who accepts bookings other than at a licensed operating centre or from an operating centre that has been suspended or one that has been removed from his/ her licence is guilty of an offence under the Act and is liable to a fine of up to £1000.
Repeated breaches of licensing regulations could lead to the revocation of the operator's whole licence.
For further guidance on accepting bookings, operators should refer to section 4(1) of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 and PCO Notice 41/08.
That will tell them.
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