Go to navigation

Drink Measures

This condition provides customers the opportunity to choose small measures of beer, ciders, spirits and wine.

Mandatory Condition 5

The responsible person shall ensure that:

(a)   where any of the following alcoholic drinks is sold or supplied for consumption on the premises (other than alcoholic drinks sold or supplied having been made up in advance ready for sale or supply in a securely closed container) it is available to customers in the following measures:

(i)    beer or cider: ½ pint;

(ii)   gin, rum, vodka or whisky: 25ml or 35 ml; and

(iii)  still wine in a glass: 125ml; and

(b)   customers are made aware of the availability of these measures.

Guidance relating to this condition

Your customers must also be made aware of the availability of these measures; for example, by listing them on a drink menus displayed at the bar. You must comply with Weights and Measures legislation where you should be displaying a minimum of 30 items on your menu with prices and measures.

This does not prevent you from serving larger sizes as well as the measures listed, such as 250ml wine, pints or doubles although all measures offered must comply with Weights and Measures legislation.

This does not prevent you selling “ready to drink” pre-packaged alcoholic drinks which come in different sizes.   Please state that wine is not served by the glass but the size of the pre-packaged bottle.

As long as you have either the measure by way of optic, stamped glass or a thimble you are covered under the requirements. 

Beer - You can provide 1/2 pints of shandy which is 1/3 pint of beer.  This is due to the Weights and Measure legislation.  As you can see the mandatory conditions says in 1/2 pint measures.  Therefore, as long as you can provide the 1/2 pint measure you are complying with this mandatory condition.  Therefore, beer can be served as 1/3 pint, 1/2 pint or a pint.

Spirits - Gin, Rum, Vodka and Whisky should be supplied in 25ml or 35ml optics.  If you provide a house double then you can have a 50ml optic as long as you have the 25ml or 35ml of the same brand next to it.  Alternatively, you can have the 50ml optic in place as long as you have the same brand in a bottle with a thimble for 25ml measure so that you can provide a customer the smaller measure. 

Still Wine - You can now buy wine glasses which have the line stamped on the glass with the amounts i.e 125ml, 175ml and 250ml.  If you already have glasses but do not have the 125ml measure you can either buy new glasses or buy a thimble.

For more information contact Licensing Unit by telephone: Licensing Services - 01634 337107 or 337108 / Enforcement - 01634 337112 or 337106 or by email: licensing@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Licensing Unit, Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

Send this page to a friend: Send

Send a link to the Drink Measures page to a friend

  1. Please answer the question below to ensure your form gets through safely to Medway Council. It is to verify that you are a real person and not an automated internet spam programme.