The Department for Communities has specified City of Derry Airport as an “international airport” for licensing purposes, with the Order taking effect on 2 April 2026. The instrument is titled The Licensing (City of Derry Airport) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026. (communities-ni.gov.uk)
The designation is made under Article 53(1) of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 after the Department recorded that there is a substantial amount of international passenger traffic and that reasonable facilities are available in the licensed premises for obtaining hot and cold non‑alcoholic drinks at all times when alcohol can be consumed. (communities-ni.gov.uk)
Under Article 41 of the 1996 Order, the sale, purchase, consumption or removal of alcohol outside permitted hours is prohibited. General permitted hours remain 11:30 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday and 12:30 to 23:00 on Sunday for pubs, and 08:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday and 10:00 to 22:00 on Sunday for off‑licences. Where an airport is specified under Article 53 and the premises are within an HMRC‑approved examination station, this prohibition does not apply-“in effect the licensed premises may trade whenever the airport is in operation.” (communities-ni.gov.uk)
The effect is tightly defined. It applies only to licensed premises located within the HMRC‑approved “examination station” (the airside area beyond the security checkpoint) approved under section 22 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. Landside premises are unaffected by the designation. (communities-ni.gov.uk)
For licence holders and the airport operator, the change enables airside sale and consumption of alcohol outside the standard permitted hours without breaching Article 41, provided the availability of non‑alcoholic hot and cold beverages in those premises is maintained. All other licensing obligations, including age‑verification and refusing service to intoxicated persons, continue to apply. (communities-ni.gov.uk)
The Department’s screening note confirms that, prior to designation, premises at City of Derry Airport were bound by general permitted hours in line with Article 42 and explains the interaction with Article 41 once an airport is specified. That position remains unchanged for any premises outside the examination station. (communities-ni.gov.uk)
For passengers, the most visible change will be during early‑morning departures and late‑night arrivals, when airside outlets may lawfully offer alcohol whenever the airport is operating. Staffing patterns, pricing and responsible retailing remain operational decisions for businesses rather than matters determined by the Order.
The Department published its equality screening on 1 April 2026 and confirmed commencement for 2 April 2026, with no full equality impact assessment recommended. No further procedural steps are required from licence holders to benefit from the Article 41 disapplication within the airside area. (communities-ni.gov.uk)