Social Club - Legalities

Legalities

Clubs in England and Wales were not controlled by the licensing system until the Licensing Act of 1902 was passed, or in Scotland until the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1903 was passed. They were passed mainly to check the abuse of “clubs” being formed solely to sell intoxicating liquors free from the restrictions of the licensing acts, but it applied to all kinds of clubs in England and Wales. The act required the registration of every club that occupied any premises habitually used for the purposes of a club and in which intoxicating liquor was supplied to members or their guests. The secretary of every club was required to give a return to the clerk to the justices of the petty sessional division a return with this information:

1. the name and objects of the club
2. the address of the club
3. the name of the secretary
4. the number of members
5. the rules of the club relating to:
   1. the election of members and the admission of temporary and honorary members and of guests
   2. the terms of subscription and entrance fee, if any
   3. the cessation of membership
   4. the hours of opening and closing
   5. the mode of altering the rules