To run a sex establishment (Sex Shop, Sex Cinema, Sex Entertainment Venue) in Aylesbury Vale you may need a licence from AVDC.  For clarification please see our policy on sex establishments.

Who can apply?
An applicant:

• must be at least 18 years old
• must not be disqualified from holding a licence
• must have been resident in the UK at least 6 months immediately before the application or, if a body corporate, must be incorporated in the UK
• must not have been refused the grant or renewal of a licence for the premises in question within the last 12 months unless the refusal has been reversed on appeal

How to apply
Please use the downloads at the bottom of this page to apply for or renew a licence.  The application form can be used for grant, transfer and renewal applications. The application must be copied by the applicant to the police within 7 days after the date the application was made.

Applicants must also give public notice of the application by publishing an advertisement in a local newspaper. This must be published within 7 days of making the application. If the application relates to a premises then there is an additional requirement for notice of the application to be displayed for 21 days on or near the premises where it can be conveniently read by the public. The notice, the form of which is prescribed by the council, must contain certain information.

Licence holders may at any time apply to the authority for a variation of the terms, conditions or restrictions in their licence.

Interested parties
Any person objecting to an application for the grant, renewal or transfer of a licence may give written notice of their objection to the relevant authority, stating the grounds of the objection, within 28 days of the date of the application.

What if I don't hear from AVDC within the specified time?
It is in the public interest that AVDC must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from AVDC within 14 calendar days of submitting your request, please contact us. You can do this using the contact details at the bottom of this page.

Fees
See the download below to view our fees.

Is there an appeal process?
Please contact AVDC in the first instance.

Any applicant who is refused a licence, or refused the renewal of a licence, may, within 21 days of being notified of the refusal, appeal to the local Magistrates' Court.

However, the right to appeal does not apply where the licence was refused on the grounds that:

• the number of sex establishments in the area exceeds the number which the authority consider is appropriate
• to grant a licence would be inappropriate considering the character of the area, the nature of other premises in the area, or the premises themselves.

A licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition can appeal to a local Magistrates' Court. 

If an application for a variation is refused, or if the licence is revoked, the licence holder may, within 21 days of being notified of the imposition of, or the refusal to vary, the term, condition or restriction in question, or of the revocation, appeal to the local Magistrates' Court.

A licence holder may also appeal to the Crown Court against a decision of a Magistrates' Court.

Consumer complaint
If you have a complaint in relation to a business operating under this regulation please contact us on the details below.

Date Updated: 04/11/11