Stephen Graham | Partner, Head of Licensing and Regulation

Stephen is Head of both the Licensing and Regulatory Teams at Ward Hadaway.

As Head of the Regulatory Team, Stephen has responsibility for all investigations and prosecutions brought by Regulatory Authorities including the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency and the Trading Standards Authorities as well as prosecutions by or on behalf of the Police.

As Head of the Licensing Team Stephen is responsible for all applications necessary to ensure compliance with the current statutory requirements affecting all businesses working within the leisure industry.

As Head of the Licensing Team Stephen is established as a Leading Practitioner representing clients including nationally known leisure providers as well as local operators, hotels and organisations both large and small.

Stephen appears before Licensing Sub-Committees throughout the country and has successfully conducted Appeals from decisions of the Licensing Sub-Committee before the Magistrates Court.

The Licensing Team successfully manages the licence arrangements in respect of premises throughout the United Kingdom on behalf of national firms and organisations operating within the leisure industry.

Notable successes include the granting of a Premises Licence within a designated cumulative impact area despite opposition from a number of statutory bodies and the obtaining of a licence despite representations on behalf of the statutory bodies and the attendance before the Licensing Sub-Committee of in excess of 80 local residents objecting to the proposed Licence.

Stephen has also been instructed to appear on behalf of a Local Residents Association to object to an application to vary an existing Premises Licence.

Stephen has also written articles dealing with the implications of the Licensing Act 2003 and was part of an advisory body to a Local Authority assisting with the implementation process and effects of the New Act.