Prosecutions which involve closure orders are now brought under Part 4

Chapter 3 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

 The Act was introduced in October 2014 – and replaced Part A of the Anti-

social Behaviour Act 2003, under which closure orders used to be issued.

 Being issued with a closure order can have a huge impact on your livelihood,

income and home life.

 

A closure order is likely to be issued by the court in cases where a premises is

closed for persistent disorder or nuisance – which may involve noise, public

order offences among clientele, drugs offences, sexual offences, violent crime

or other serious offences, including using a business as a front to conceal

organised crime, immigration offences, modern slavery offences or people

trafficking offences.

 

Closure orders may also be issued in cases where a premises is found to be in

breach of health and safety laws – including food hygiene, if there is a breach

of the Weights and Measures Act 1963, or if a tenant is in rent arrears.

Closure notices may be issued that require the premises to remain closed for

up to 48 hours from the date of issue. These Closure Notices last for up to 48

hours before being referred to the Magistrates’ Court if they are not

withdrawn or extended by the Court.

The police or licensing authority must inform the owner or landlord of the

premises before issuing a closure notice. The notice must also clearly state the

effects of a closure order on the premises, as well as stating that failure to

comply with the closure notice is an offence and the date the Magistrates

Court will consider the case

The police or local authority can then apply to the Magistrate’s Court for the

closure notice to be confirmed as a closure order, which will