John Gaunt & Partners
John Gaunt & Partners is a legal firm that specializes in offering licensing, gambling, and regulatory law services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersSheffield, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What John Gaunt & Partners does
John Gaunt & Partners is a UK specialist licensing solicitors firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 173393). The firm advises and represents licensed hospitality operators, taxi and private hire operators, betting and gaming operators, retailers, and specialist entertainment venues in obtaining, maintaining, varying, appealing, and defending licences across England, Scotland, and Wales. Practice areas span alcohol and entertainment licensing, betting and gaming, taxi/PHV licensing, tobacco and vapes (in anticipation of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill), London-specific licensing, and planning-related advisory, with a dedicated training division delivering BIIAB-accredited APLH, SCPLH, and ALP qualifications alongside the eLearningPlus online course platform developed with CPL Training.
The business operates as a partner-owned private limited company from three UK offices — Sheffield (head office), Portsmouth, and London — with a team that includes partners individually ranked by Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. Named enterprise clients include Marston's (national pub development programmes), a national hotel chain, and multiple restaurant chains whose estate-wide licensing the firm manages. GTM is principally direct enterprise advisory supplemented by trade body engagement (BII, BBPA, Institute of Licensing, National Pubwatch, Drinkaware), professional publication contributions, and inbound via the firm website and a restricted client extranet.
Revenue is generated through professional services fees (quote-based legal advisory, application handling, and representation at hearings) and through accredited training course fees (e.g., APLH at £155 + VAT per candidate, with cohorts capped at 12). Pricing for legal work is not publicly disclosed. Revenue figures, funding, and ownership percentages are not disclosed in publicly available sources; the firm is independently partner-owned with no parent company.
John Gaunt & Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- John Gaunt & Partners
- Legal name
- John Gaunt and Partners
- Website
- https://www.john-gaunt.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- John Gaunt & Partners is a legal firm that specializes in offering licensing, gambling, and regulatory law services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
John Gaunt & Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialist Legal Services - Licensing Law
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gaming Regulatory Consulting & Advisory (MPAEAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Licensing Application Preparation & Management (MPAEAOAB), Regulatory Investigations, Enforcement Response & Legal Representation (MPAEAOAM), Regulatory Intelligence, Horizon Scanning & Change Management (MPAEAOAK), Sports Betting Regulatory, Licensing & Legal Services (MPAEACAO)
Keywords
Where John Gaunt & Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sheffield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
John Gaunt & Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Legal Advisory Services: Specialist licensing legal services including licence applications, appeals, enforcement defence, and regulatory compliance for licensed premises operators in England, Scotland, and Wales.
- Accredited Training Courses: BIIAB accredited training delivery including APLH, SCPLH, and other licensing-related qualifications. Revenue generated through course fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Licensing Practitioners Award (Alcohol) Course |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
John Gaunt & Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
John Gaunt & Partners is a specialist licensing solicitors firm that provides legal advisory, application handling, and representation services for alcohol, entertainment, gambling, taxi, and tobacco/vapes licensing across England, Scotland, and Wales. The firm also delivers BIIAB-accredited training courses (APLH, SCPLH, ALP) and eLearningPlus online compliance training for licensed premises operators.
Product overview
John Gaunt & Partners is a specialist licensing law firm offering a unified portfolio of legal services across England, Scotland, and Wales. The core offering comprises six integrated licensing practice areas: Alcohol & Entertainment, Betting & Gaming, Planning, Taxi Licensing, Tobacco & Vapes, and London Licensing. Supporting these are Premises Licence and Personal Licence services for applications, variations, and appeals. A complementary Training division delivers accredited classroom and eLearningPlus online courses (APLH, SCPLH, ALP) and bespoke training for licensing authorities and operators. The firm does not offer a software product but provides expert legal advisory, application handling, and representation services across all licence types for pubs, clubs, restaurants, hotels, betting shops, taxis, and retailers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Alcohol & Entertainment Licensing Specialist legal services for obtaining and maintaining alcohol and entertainment licences for premises such as pubs, clubs, restaurants, nightclubs, late-night bars, and hotels across England, Scotland and Wales.
- Betting & Gaming Licensing Legal advisory services for betting shops, adult gaming centres, and gambling establishments requiring premises and operating licences under the Gambling Act.
- Licensing Training Courses (APLH, SCPLH, ALP) BIIAB-accredited training courses including Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH), Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (SCPLH), Award for Licensing Practitioners (ALP), and bespoke courses for licensing authorities and operators, delivered in Sheffield and online via Zoom.
- Planning Services Planning consultation and advisory services related to licensing applications and premises development.
- Taxi Licensing Legal services for taxi and private hire vehicle operator licensing, driver licensing, and regulatory compliance.
- Tobacco & Vapes Licensing Advisory services on tobacco and vapes licensing requirements including the new licensing scheme proposed under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
- London Licensing Specialist licensing services for premises in London, including premises licences, personal licences, and late-night levy compliance.
- Appeals & Enforcement Defence Representation at licensing hearings, appeals against licensing decisions, and defence against enforcement action for licensed premises operators.
- eLearningPlus Online e-learning course service covering licensing topics including allergens, age verification, drugs awareness, and food safety, developed in conjunction with CPL Training.
Companies that use John Gaunt & Partners
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
John Gaunt & Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
John Gaunt & Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Institute of LicensingcoreJohn Gaunt & Partners delivers training sessions on behalf of the Institute of Licensing, covering subjects including street trading, acupuncture/tattoo/cosmetic skin piercing, preparing for court, and other licensing topics.
- British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA)minorPartnership with BBPA for reissued poster campaign on alcohol responsibility, co-branded with Drinkaware and National Pubwatch to help raise awareness of serving alcohol to drunk persons.
- National PubwatchminorPartnering with BBPA and Drinkaware for poster campaign on alcohol responsibility and Global Beer Responsibility Day.
- DrinkawareminorPartnering with BBPA and National Pubwatch for poster campaign providing infographics for social media sharing on responsible alcohol service.
- CPL TrainingcoreeLearningPlus service developed in conjunction with CPL Training. This partnership provides eLearning courses covering allergens, age verification, food safety, drugs awareness, and other licensing-related topics for hospitality operators.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
John Gaunt & Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Poppleston Allen: UK's largest specialist licensing solicitors, serving pubs, clubs, restaurants, and retailers. Direct competitor to John Gaunt & Partners in alcohol and entertainment licensing, with directly overlapping jurisdictions and BIIAB-accredited training offerings.
Broad incumbents
- TLT LLP: Major UK full-service law firm with a dedicated licensing practice covering alcohol, gambling, and taxi licensing. Competes with John Gaunt & Partners for hospitality and leisure licensing mandates while also offering broader corporate and real estate services.
- DWF Law: Large UK law firm with a recognised licensing and regulatory team covering gambling, alcohol, and entertainment licensing. Provides overlapping services to licensed hospitality operators and competes against John Gaunt & Partners for enterprise mandates.
- Lewis Silkin: UK law firm with a strong hospitality and leisure practice including licensing advisory work. Targets the same client base of pubs, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues as John Gaunt & Partners, though as part of a broader commercial offering.
- Pinsent Masons LLP: International UK-headquartered law firm with a leisure, food, and drink sector practice that includes licensing. Serves large hospitality and retail clients in jurisdictions overlapping with John Gaunt & Partners' market.
Emerging players
- Bircham Dyson Bell (now part of Birketts): UK law firm with a long-standing licensing and regulatory practice serving pubs, clubs, and event venues. Comparable specialisation to John Gaunt & Partners though with a more London-centric footprint following the Birketts merger.
- Keystone Law: UK challenger law firm with a hospitality and licensing practice. Comparable to John Gaunt & Partners in providing specialist licensing advice, though operating via a self-employed partner model rather than a traditional partnership.
Regional players
- Howes Percival: UK regional law firm with a licensing and regulatory team serving hospitality and leisure clients across the Midlands and East Anglia. Competes with John Gaunt & Partners in adjacent UK regions but does not cover Scotland or Wales.
Others
- Institute of Licensing: UK professional membership body for licensing practitioners. John Gaunt & Partners delivers training on behalf of the Institute, making it both a partner and an ecosystem participant in the licensing professional community.
- British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA): UK trade association representing brewers and pub operators. John Gaunt & Partners has partnered with BBPA on industry campaigns, positioning itself as a trusted advisor to the BBPA member base that drives core licensing demand.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
John Gaunt & Partners social profiles
Digital presenceJohn Gaunt & Partners compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
John Gaunt & Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
John Gaunt & Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
John Gaunt & Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
John Gaunt & Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about John Gaunt & Partners
What does John Gaunt & Partners do?
John Gaunt & Partners is a specialist licensing solicitors firm that provides legal advisory, application handling, and representation services for alcohol, entertainment, gambling, taxi, and tobacco/vapes licensing across England, Scotland, and Wales. The firm also delivers BIIAB-accredited training courses (APLH, SCPLH, ALP) and eLearningPlus online compliance training for licensed premises operators.
Is John Gaunt & Partners a public or private company?
John Gaunt & Partners is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was John Gaunt & Partners founded?
John Gaunt & Partners was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is John Gaunt & Partners based?
John Gaunt & Partners is headquartered in Sheffield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does John Gaunt & Partners make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Legal Advisory Services are the primary driver. The others are accredited Training Courses.
Who are John Gaunt & Partners's main competitors?
Poppleston Allen is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are TLT LLP, DWF Law, Lewis Silkin and Pinsent Masons LLP. Emerging players are Bircham Dyson Bell (now part of Birketts) and Keystone Law. Howes Percival is listed as a regional player. Others are Institute of Licensing and British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).
Does John Gaunt & Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for John Gaunt & Partners.
What industry is John Gaunt & Partners in?
John Gaunt & Partners's product category is Specialist Legal Services - Licensing Law. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAOAA, Gaming Regulatory Consulting & Advisory, with a secondary code of MPAEAOAB, Licensing Application Preparation & Management. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.