Getting the neccessary pemissions

This is our document  record of planning and licensing applications included in the hope that it will be of use to those who are setting out on the micropub journey. Some of the applications are made online so  they are not icluded here.

A picture is worth it's weight (or 1,000 words). Nevertheless, if you can, do one.

ALWAYS write a press release. Doesn't have to be good. The press (and media) are always looking for stories - they will hunt you down. If you can write a good press release, the press will love you even more because they are inherently lazy and if they can use your words they will.

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Try not to employ a professional to do something that can be done with a basic compuer program. You will need plans but they DO NOT have to be professionally produced.

Same goes for the location plan. It has to be (roughtly) to the expected scale, But use whatever computer skills you have (or even Google maps) to make your own.

If you change your original plan (and you will) it is best to let the planners know

My council insited on a record of the premises as it was before work was started so, from a historical perspective, nothing is lost. Just take a load of photos, there doesn't seem to be any set rules,

You can arrange to have an informal chat with your local planners. The pre-application advice will cost you money, but it could save you a lot of grief further down the line. In any event, when you make the formal planning application they like you to have sought pre-application advice.

Four licensing objectives. Make sure your application adresses them all.

Before signing a lease it is always a good idea to get the landlord to agree a schedule of condition. This irecords the condition of the premises at the time you took over and prevents the landlord from blaming you for existing problems with the building further down the line.

Quite a surprise for us. We had to demnonstrate reasons why the area could afford to lose a shop. Worth reading.

PDF version of one of the above