Pg West Minster Licensing Change

Westminster City Council

Licensing change

the opportunity

the approach

the results

Central government legislation meant that there were major changes in the way licences were to be applied for and issued. As Westminster City Council have the most pubs, clubs, restaurants, and hot food take-aways in the UK, over 4,000, it was important that these changes were communicated effectively to ensure take up and compliance were near 100%.

We created a campaign with the slogan ‘Coffee from Columbia, vodka from Moscow and licence from Westminster City Council’ . The communication had to be clear as a percentage of the target audience would not have English has their first language. Initially a ‘message in a bottle’ card flyer alerted the audience that important changes were on the way. This was then followed by a series of letters and bound policy documents.

Westminster City Council enjoyed the highest take up and percentage compliance rates in the country. It was seen as the most effective licensing communication of any council in the UK.