LCRB Bulletin 25-01: Bottle Service for LP Licensees & Bulletin 25-02: LP License for Outdoor Events

Bulletin 25-01: Liquor Primary licensees may offer bottle service

Liquor Primary (LP) licensees may now sell whole bottles of spirits for on-site consumption – a practice commonly known as “bottle service”. Prior to the change, LPs could not sell whole bottles of distilled liquor. The change affects all Liquor Primary licensees (primarily bars, pubs, and nightclubs) and Liquor Primary Club licensees. Bottle service is typically a VIP service offered at bars and nightclubs, often involving a reserved table, bottle service, and a dedicated server.

As per LCRB Bulletin 25-01:

Licensees that provide bottle service must follow these terms and conditions:

• You must not pour more than the maximum serving size per patron at any time.
• A whole bottle of spirits must not be sold within the last hour of liquor service.
• You must maintain control of the bottle of spirits during liquor service and have a system to ensure that patrons do not self-serve.
• Any remaining liquor in the bottle can be stored for the patron’s exclusive use if you have created secure and separate storage for this purpose.
  • In Liquor Primary Clubs with locker room privileges, the bottle of spirits may alternatively be stored by the member in their locker.
• Any remaining liquor must be disposed of immediately if separate storage measures have not been established.

No application required. The changes will be added to the Liquor Primary Terms and Conditions.

For licensees that offer VIP table reservations, bottle service may be part of a package that includes the liquor and service in the purchase price, although some conditions apply.

For details and conditions of these changes, refer to LCRB Bulletin 25-01.

Sources:
Bulletin 25-01, January 16, 2025, LCRB.
“Liquor Primary Terms and Conditions” (“Serving Liquor > Distilled Liquor” section), LCRB.

Bulletin 25-02 Liquor Primary licences for outdoor events venues

Outdoor venues that previously hosted several events throughout the year, each with an individual Special Events Permit, now have the option of applying for one permanent Liquor Primary (LP) license that covers multiple outdoor events.

Outdoor events venues are for holding public events such as music and arts festivals, live concerts and live-scale events. Outdoor venues do not have to have a permanent structure.

Liquor Primary licensees that have an outdoor event venue do not need to apply to change the license. Licensees must follow the rules and procedures specified by the Liquor Primary License Handbook.

A licensee or applicant that does not have an LP license may apply for one through the Liquor and Cannabis Licensing Portal. New LP applicants require input from local government or First Nation.

For details and conditions of these changes, refer to Bulletin 25-02

Sources:
Bulletin 25-02, January 16, 20-25, LCRB.
“Liquor Primary Terms and Conditions” (“Special Rules” section), LCRB.

Liquor Primary License Application Guidance from the Experts at Thrive

If you need a Liquor Primary license for a bar, pub, lounge or night club, the liquor license consultants at Thrive Advisors can lead the license application process and increase the chances of approval. Whether you are starting out or are an existing licensee that requires a license update, we make the process easy.