Jonathan Smith

Partner, Poppleston Allen

Jonathan joined Poppleston Allen at the beginning of 1997. After being made Partner in 2002, he succeeded founder Jeremy Allen as Managing Partner in 2006, splitting his time between developing the firm and advising clients.

In April 2018, Jonathan handed over the reins as Managing Partner to concentrate fully on helping licensed operators solve their alcohol licensing problems.

Jonathan’s advice includes obtaining new premises licences, licence variations and licensing reviews, of which he is a veteran of over 250. To help understand the pressures that people working in the leisure sector face, Jonathan holds five licensing qualifications covering England, Wales and Scotland.

Jonathan regularly speaks at conferences and seminars. He sat on the Institute of Licensing’s operational and development committee and has sat on various Home Office and Department of Culture, Media and Sport advisory groups. By request, he was called to give evidence as part of The House of Lords Select Committee in a review of the Licensing Act 2003.

Some of Jonathan’s key clients include; Dominos, St Austell Brewery, Parkdean Resorts, Bourne Leisure and Red Oak Taverns.

The Chambers & Partners Guide describes Jonathan as “very experienced and a great source of information.” With a particular strength in providing excellent outcomes for clients. The Legal 500 Guide recognises Jonathan in their Hall of Fame. A category reserved for law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession.

Best Lawyers has recognised Jonathan as one of the best legal talents in the world since 2009.

Contributed to

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Children and alcohol offences under the Licensing Act 2003

Practice Notes

This Practice Note covers offences involving children and alcohol under the Licensing Act 2003 (LA 2003). It also includes time limits for bringing prosecutions. The offences include the sale or supply of alcohol to children, allowing the sale of alcohol to children, persistently selling alcohol to children and purchasing alcohol by or on behalf of children. It covers who a 'person' is for the purposes of a prosecution, the meaning of 'relevant premises', 'unlawfully sold', 'licensed premises and permitted temporary activities', 'responsible person' and adducing evidence of unlawful sale. It also covers possible statutory defences for each offence, sentencing for each offence and possible alternatives to prosecution.

Corporate Crime

Licensing Act 2003—conditions

Practice Notes

This Practice Note considers the three types of conditions that can be imposed on a premises licence granted under the Licensing Act 2003, namely mandatory, proposed and imposed conditions. It covers the detail of those conditions together with conditions that are not permitted.

Local Government

Licensing committees

Practice Notes

This Practice Note sets out the law and practice in relation to the duties and responsibilities of a licensing authority under the Licensing Act 2003 (LA 2003). It covers the requirement for a licensing authority to establish a licensing committee to discharge its licensing functions and the option for a licensing committee to constitute one or more subcommittees to delegate most of its licensing functions. It also includes advice on best practice for licensing committees and/or sub-committees on how to conduct hearings and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Local Government

Summary of offences under the Licensing Act 2003

Practice Notes

This Practice Note covers the offences that can be committed under the Licensing Act 2003 (LA 2003). It includes a summary of all of the offences contained in LA 2003, defences and maximum penalties, including offences relating to premises licenses, temporary activities and events licenses, personal licences, underage sale of alcohol, underage supply of alcohol to under 18 year olds and other general offences under the LA 2003.

Corporate Crime