If a licence application is refused or revoked
Refusal of an application to license
If approval is not granted to an application, the applicant will be notified in writing of that decision, the reasons why, and how they may appeal against that decision should they wish to.
Revoking a license
East Sussex County Council may revoke a licence if:
- the holder of the licence has not complied with one or more of the conditions attached to it
- the use or structure of the premises has changed so that the premises are no longer suitable for ceremonies
If East Sussex County Council decides to revoke a licence, it will issue a written notice to the licence holder confirming that the licence has been withdrawn. No refund of fees will be made if a licence is revoked.
The licence holder may seek a review of the decision to revoke a licence by writing to the Proper Officer:
Proper Officer for Registration
Crowborough Register Office
Hookstead
Goldsmith's Avenue
Crowborough
East Sussex
TN6 1RH
Revocation directed by the Registrar General
The Registrar General for England and Wales may instruct East Sussex County Council to revoke a licence if they believe that laws relating to ceremonies held on the Approved Premises have been breached.
Before issuing such a direction, the Registrar General will:
- write to the licence holder explaining the grounds on which revocation is being proposed
- provide the licence holder with at least 14 days to submit written representations.
After considering any representations received, if the Registrar General decides that the licence should be revoked, East Sussex County Council will be directed to do so.
East Sussex County Council must then revoke the licence with immediate effect and notify the licence holder. No refund of fees will be made if a licence is revoked.
Duty to Notify Couples
Once a licence has been revoked, the licence holder must immediately inform any couples who have booked ceremonies at the premises that the licence is no longer in place.
