On Tuesday 3 November the Home Office published revised guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003. The guidance has been updated to reflect new licensing powers for the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Mayor of London. Venue security, door and event security teams in London work inside premises licences, so who sets and reviews licensing policy in the capital matters to them. This post sets out what the guidance says and no more.
What changed
The guidance says "The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026" amended the Licensing Act 2003 to introduce a new strategic licensing regime in Greater London, with functions conferred on the Mayor of London.
Its list of four key changes, at paragraph 1.22, includes the Mayor as a statutory consultee on all local statements of licensing policy in Greater London. The other three are these. First: "The Mayor must publish and keep under review a statutory London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy, which London licensing authorities must have regard to." Second: "The Greater London Authority is now a Responsible Authority within the licensing system." Third: "The Mayor has a discretionary call-in power for licensing decisions of potential strategic importance to Greater London."
What the guidance says
Section 18 of the guidance sets out how the call-in power works. As we read it, the GLA assesses whether an application is of potential strategic importance and, if it is, gives notice within 10 working days. The guidance also has an annex on counter terrorism, which collects resources on public safety at venues and events that licensing authorities may find helpful where enhanced security concerns are relevant.
What is not in the guidance
The guidance gives no commencement date for the London regime. Check the commencement provisions of the Act and the 2026 Regulations before relying on it. Nothing we read connects these changes to Security Industry Authority licensing, door supervisor rules or close protection. They concern premises licensing and the Mayor's role. We read only the London strategic licensing parts of a long document, and we did not open the Strategic Licensing Policy, the 2026 Regulations or the Act. No reaction from industry bodies or the Mayor was opened.
What it means for venue security teams
This is The Ops Con's reading, not the Home Office's.
Firms that advise London venues, or run event security there, should expect the GLA to be a Responsible Authority on applications, and should expect a London-wide policy that licensing authorities must have regard to. A call-in power over applications of strategic importance adds a further decision-maker for large or high-profile venues. Check the guidance itself, and the commencement provisions, before changing advice to clients.
