2006-10-14 08:14:40 · 17 answers · asked by dean w 1 in Food & Drink ➔ Beer, Wine & Spirits
"Off-licence" is a term used in the Commonwealth and Ireland for a shop licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises, as opposed to a bar or public house which is licensed for consumption at the point of sale. The distinction between an off-licence and a pub is analogous to that between a take-away and a restaurant. The term also applies to the licence granted to the establishment itself.
Off-licences may be specialist shops, convenience stores, parts of supermarkets, or attached to bars and pubs. Typically, prices are substantially lower than in bars or pubs.
The name derives from one particular division of British licensing laws. Some public houses will also possess an off licence as part of their regular licence, allowing them to sell sealed alcoholic drinks (eg. unopened bottles of wine) for consumption elsewhere.
When restaurants refer to themselves as fully licensed this is usually misleading: they generally only have an on-licence.
In the United Kingdom the "off licence" was often part of a device to circumvent restrictive trading laws, particularly those concerning Sunday trading. Depending on local ordinances, stores might be required to close at noon once a week, on not be allowed to trade in the evening. Stores with an off licence made their hours similar to those of public houses, opening during lunch hours and from early evening to the mandatory closing time, usually 10:30 pm or 11:00 pm. Changes in trading law altered the situation somewhat in 1994.
2006-10-14 08:17:42 · answer #1 · answered by Saskia M 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
"Off-licence" is a term used in the Commonwealth and Ireland for a shop licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises, as opposed to a bar or public house which is licensed for consumption at the point of sale. The distinction between an off-licence and a pub is analogous to that between a take-away and a restaurant. The term also applies to the licence granted to the establishment itself.
2006-10-14 09:45:25 · answer #2 · answered by vickicraig86@btinternet.com 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Puffy is sort of right...!
In the old days pubs would have a separate entrance with a simple window hatch/counter where you could buy beer for drinking off the premises.
Also there were small outlets which were, in effect, beer stores where you could buy beer to take away.
In both cases you were buying alcohol to be consumed 'off the licensed premises' - hence an off licence..
Today, supermarkets and large beer and wine outlets serve the same purpose and are in effect 'off licences', as opposed to pubs and hotel bars which have a licence to allow alcohol to consumed 'on' the premises.
2006-10-14 08:23:11 · answer #3 · answered by avian 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Licenced to sell alcohol for consumption 'Off' the premises only,Hence 'Off Licence'
2006-10-18 07:39:17 · answer #4 · answered by jeffrey bubbles bon bon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they have a license to sell alcohol for consumption "off the premises". Pubs & most restaurants actually have an "on licence"!
Britain's alcohol laws are pretty silly, but can't hold a candle to those in some places in the US. In North Carolina, there are many counties with "brown bag laws"; The restaurant can't serve you alcohol, but as long as it is in a brown paper bag, you can bring your own booze into the restaurant and they can sell you mixers. You can't have an "open bottle" in your car, however, so if you & your hot date take a bottle of Scotch to dinner, you have to drink it all or throw it away!
2006-10-14 08:23:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
An off license is a premises that is only allowed by the terms set in the licensing law 2003 to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises. A bar would therefor be an 'on' license. The bar I manage has both an on and off license with allows to sell alcohol for consumption on or off the premises.
2006-10-17 06:56:03 · answer #6 · answered by Ludo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they are only licensed to sell alcohol for consumption off of the premises (take away or carry out) - off licence
as opposed to a pub that has a licence for the consumption of alcohol on its premises.
2006-10-17 21:11:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's an abbreviation of the licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises (where it was sold)
2006-10-14 08:17:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
the place has a licence for alcohol to be consumed off the premises, unlike a pub, where they have a licence for alcohol to be consumed on the premises
2006-10-14 10:10:12 · answer #9 · answered by used to live in Wales 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because just as the first world war started we (UK) had thousands of liquer sellers, they even sold it in the street.
Then, they licensed places, these places sold " to consume on the premises"
For takes outs, they had to be consumed "Off the premises" so it was an "off Licence"
Cheers Paul
2006-10-14 09:19:37 · answer #10 · answered by PAUL H 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋