Restrictions on the Sale of Alcohol over Easter

Days impacted over the Easter weekend

Here is a quick guide on what you need to be aware of over the Easter weekend:

• Good Friday – is a public holiday and also has restrictions on the sale of alcohol
• Saturday – is a normal trading day
• Easter Sunday – is not a public holiday but has restrictions on the sale of alcohol
• Easter Monday – is a public holiday

Sale of alcohol restrictions apply on all of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act prohibits the sale or supply of alcohol to anyone from any licenced premises (including restaurants and entertainment venues) on Good Friday and Easter Sunday other than to persons on the premises to dine, living on the premises as a lodger or as an employee (in respect of hotels) or where a special licence has been obtained.

This means that no-one may be sold or supplied alcohol on any licensed premises on these days unless they are on the premises to dine.

A person is not present on licensed premises to dine if he or she is on the premises more than an hour before he or she starts (or is due to start) eating a meal or more than an hour after he or she finishes eating a meal. To clarify, a meal must be substantial rather than just snack food.

In respect of hotels and taverns, once dining is completed and any alcohol purchased while dining has been consumed, persons cannot remain on the premises even if they are not consuming alcohol. This is because persons cannot be on hotel and tavern premises outside licensed hours except from 6am until licensing hours begin for the day. Licensed restaurants, conveyances and entertainment venues, may have persons on the premises anytime but must restrict the sale and supply of alcohol on these days to persons on the premises to dine and within licensing hours.

There is very little guidance on the amount of alcohol that may be purchased while dining, just that any alcohol that is purchased must be consumed while dining or finished shortly after dining is completed. The more alcohol that is purchased the more difficult it may be to say that a person is present on the premises to dine.

Accordingly, alcohol sale and supply for all types of licence must cease at midnight on each of Thursday 24 March and Saturday 26 March unless one of the above exceptions applies. This is because Good Friday and Easter Sunday have restrictions on the sale of alcohol effective from midnight.

Off licences are also not able to sell or supply alcohol from the premises on Good Friday or Easter Sunday. However, off-licences where wine is produced on the premises may be sold and supplied within licensing hours on Easter Sunday.