where does the term off licence come from
Off licence Off-licence is a term used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand for a shop licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises, as opposed to a bar or public house which is licensed for consumption at the point of sale (on-licence). The term also applies to the licence granted to the establishment itself. Off-licences typically are specialist shops, convenience shops, parts of supermarkets, or attached to bars and pubs. Prices are usually substantially lower than in bars or pubs. Off-licence is also used in New Zealand for beverage outlets inside sporting venues, whereby alcoholic beverages are brought "outside" the point-of-sale, even if it was inside a food outlet, because it can be consumed at the stands, but is still consumed within the vicinity of the venue itself, and cannot be taken out of the venue.