Licensing Policies

Licensing Act 2003

We published a revised Statement of Licensing Policy, in accordance with Section 5 of the Licensing Act in January 2025.

This policy must be reviewed every 5 years but may be reviewed sooner if necessary.  

Under the Licensing Act 2003 we can publish an assessment of cumulative impact of licensed premises in our area. Such an assessment was undertaken in 2022, and the Cumulative Impact Assessment 2023 to 25 was approved by Licensing Committee in November 2022. Applicants for licences in the following areas should contact Entertainment Licensing to discuss their proposals in relation to cumulative impact:

• Armley
• Beeston
• City Centre
• Harehills and Burmantofts
• Headingley
• Holbeck
• Harehills
• Hyde Park

We are reviewing the council’s cumulative impact assessment and are seeking your views.

As a licensing authority we may publish a cumulative impact assessment every three years. The last assessment was undertaken in 2022 and is valid until the end of this year. Cumulative Impact Areas are designated under the Licensing Act 2003 to manage the negative effects of high concentrations of licensed premises. They aim to protect the four licensing objectives:

• Prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• Prevention of public nuisance
• Protection of children from harm

Specifying an area as suffering from cumulative impact is not a decision taken lightly. The law requires that the evidence must be strong, but in Leeds the council has found this policy to be very helpful in ensuring that alcohol licensed premises are not allowed to proliferate to a point where it impacts on residents. 

Although it is difficult to quantify the impact a cumulative impact area has, ward councillors report that this is a policy that has helped their wards by encouraging better quality applications that take into considerations the issues being experienced, and where the applications are not of good quality, it assists Licensing Committee in making decisions.

Applications in CIA areas must demonstrate there will be no negative cumulative impact. Responsible authorities (e.g. West Yorkshire Police, Licensing Authority) will likely object to applications unless strong mitigation is proposed. 

We have undertaken a full review of each of the seven areas using police and council data, as well as data from residents and agencies working in those areas. The outcome of the review is as follows:

Armley

• Focus: Off-sales of alcohol.
• Key Issues: Street drinking, intimidation, littering, and alcohol dependency.
• Risk Level: Very High (2nd highest area in Leeds).
• Hotspots: Town Street, Stanningley Road, Theaker Lane.

Beeston 

• Focus: Off-sales of alcohol and late-night refreshment.
• Key Issues: Street drinking, drug use, begging, sex work, and antisocial behaviour near schools and community hubs.
• Risk Level: Very High.
• Hotspots: Dewsbury Road, Tempest Road, Beeston Road.

City Centre

• Focus: On-sales and late-night refreshment during peak hours, off-sales in ASB hotspots.
• Key Issues: Saturation of venues, alcohol-related crime, public disorder, noise, litter, and antisocial behaviour.
• Risk Level: Very High (Ranked 1st out of 107 MSOAs).
• Hotspots: Briggate, Call Lane, Albion Street, Boar Lane, New York Street.

Harehills

• Focus: Off-sales of alcohol and late-night refreshment.
• Key Issues: High density of off-licences, street drinking, youth nuisance, vulnerable children, and organised crime.
• Risk Level: High to Very High across three MSOAs.
• Hotspots: Harehills Lane, Harehills Road, Roundhay Road.

Headingley

• Focus: On-sales, off sales and late-night refreshment, during peak hours or any application encouraging Otley Run participation.
• Key Issues: Impact of the Otley Run pub crawl, crowding, noise, public urination, intimidation, and inappropriate fancy dress.
• Risk Level: Medium–High.
• Hotspots: Otley Road, North Lane, St Michael’s Road.

Holbeck

• Focus: Off-sales of alcohol.
• Key Issues: Alcohol-related crime, noise, litter, and vulnerable populations.
• Risk Level: Very High.
• Hotspots: Top Moor Side, Recreation View, Shafton Lane.

Hyde Park

• Focus: Off-sales of alcohol and late-night refreshment during peak hours.
• Key Issues: High student population, antisocial behaviour, noise, and street parties
• Risk Level: High to Very High.
• Hotspots: Brudenell Road, Cardigan Road, Hyde Park Road.

We would very much like to hear your comments. The full evidence review is over 155 pages, but we have produced summaries for each of the areas which are available from entertainment.licensing@leeds.gov.uk.

Your comments should be made in writing and sent by Friday 31 October 2025 by:

Post: Entertainment Licensing

Leeds City Council
Civic Hall
Leeds, LS1 1UR

Email: entertainment.licensing@leeds.gov.uk

If you do not have regular access to the internet, we will be happy to send you a copy in the post. Please call Entertainment Licensing on 0113 378 5029 to request a copy.

At the end of the consultation period, we will review the comments we receive. We will produce a report which includes the responses and any changes that may be required following the consultation. Although we intend to protect the personal information included in the responses we receive, the contents will be included in the report. Please indicate if this concerns you, or if you would specifically like your details to be released.

Gambling Act 2005

We published a revised Statement of Licensing Policy in accordance with Section 349 of the Gambling Act 2005 on 1 January 2025.

This policy must be reviewed every 3 years but may be reviewed sooner if necessary. The council has undertaken a review of the Statement of Licensing Policy, with partners, and made several changes:

• general updating of statistical data, such as population statistics
• new information on priority neighbourhoods
• new information on the economy and health and wellbeing
• updating of other council policies
• updating of the section on the protection of children and vulnerable persons
• replacement of the term problem gambling with gambling harm
• removal of appendices on gaming machine entitlements and stakes and prizes as these are subject to change

The new policy will be published in January 2028 following approval by the council.

Sex establishment applications

We published a licensing policy for Sex Establishment licensing. This provides information about sensitive locations and the number of sex establishments we consider appropriate for Leeds. There is no set period by which this this policy should be reviewed, although the council has committed to regular reviews.

• Sex Establishments: Statement of Licensing Policy