Roy is excellent. He has a hands-on and no-nonsense approach, drills down to the crux of a matter and gets to grips with the details of a case extremely quickly. Clients warm to his very approachable and open manner.”

LEGAL 500 2022, Licensing

Roy is one of the UK’s leading licensing barristers and has appeared in a number of leading cases. His extensive experience includes alcohol and entertainment, late night refreshment, open-air festivals, race courses, gambling, taxis and firearms.

Roy advises and acts for local authorities, police forces, independent operators and public corporations throughout England and Wales. He is pleased to take instructions on all matters from simple preparatory advice for independent traders and residents to High Court challenges on behalf of multi-national corporations and local authorities.

Roy writes and lectures extensively, regularly speaks at national conferences and provides training for local authorities and others.

Direct access

Prof Light is qualified to accept instructions direct from clients under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme under which members of the public may seek specialist advice and representation direct from him. For further information please contact my clerks.

Cases

See all

Resources

See all

  • Appointments:

    • Professor Emeritus, Bristol Law School, UWE

  • Qualifications:

    • LLB, LLM (London), M Phil, PhD (Cantab)

  • Professional memberships:

    • Fellow of the Institute of Licensing
    • Member, Planning Law Bar Association

  • Additional information:

    Recent seminars/training include:

    • Institute of Licensing annual training conference, ‘Bias in licensing hearings: defining, addressing and avoiding’, Stratford upon Avon, (18 November 2021)
    • ‘Licensing Councillor Training Courses’, Institute of Licensing, held remotely (May, June & October 2021)
    • Institute of Licensing annual training conference, ‘the Gambling Act 2005’, held remotely (16-18 November 2020)
    • Webinar, ‘Licensing lockdown & release’, 20 September 2020
    • Webinar, ‘Licensing lockdown & release’, 20 September 2020
    • Institute of Licensing annual training conference, ‘the Crime & Disorder Licensing Objective’ and ‘the Fit & Proper Person Criterion in Taxi Licensing’, Stratford upon Avon (10 November 2019)
    • Local Government Law Conference, recovering costs in licensing appeals, Bristol (6 December 2018)
    • Institute of Licensing, avoiding and dealing with licensing appeals and the Portman Group Complaints Panel, Stratford upon Avon, (15-16 November 2018)
    • North Devon Council, avoiding and dealing with taxi licensing appeals, (27 September 2018)
    • Institute of Licensing, taxi licensing appeals, Leeds, (10 July 2018)
    • Institute of Licensing, taxi licensing appeals, Swindon, (26 April 2018)
    • Institute of Licensing annual training conference, licensing petrol stations and motorway service areas and licensing sexual entertainment venues, Stratford upon Avon, (16-18 November 2017)
    • Institute of Licensing, super strength beers, lagers & ciders,  Stratford upon Avon  (17 November 2017)
    • Institute of Licensing, Taxis: ‘fit & proper persons’, Stratford upon Avon, (16 November 2017)
    • Tri-Authority training day, taxis and Licensing Act 2003, Poole, (15 November 2017)
    • Tri-Authority training day, gambling and sex establishment licensing, Poole, (13 September 2017)
    • North Dorset District Council, licensing update, Dorchester (25 July 2017)
    • Borough of Poole, councillor training, Poole, (13 July 2017)
    • Isles of Scilly Council licensing training, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, (17 May 2017)
    • Institute of Licensing, The Police and Crime Act 2017 & Immigration Act 2016, Bristol (24 April 2017)
    • Institute of Licensing, The House of Lords Select Committee on LA 2003, Bath (9 December 2016)
    • Tri-Authority training day, taxis and Licensing Act 2003, Poole (15 November 2016)
    • House of Lords Select Committee on the Licensing Act 2003 invited oral evidence (1 November 2016)

     

  • Prof Roy Light is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please read here.