And some fine beer you have in PA - its 10 years since I was there, so I was drinking at the time, and I did enjoy Yeungling when I was there
Anyone selling beer, wine or spirits here in the UK needs a licence as well. On the mainland you just apply to your local council who consider each case individually. In Northern Ireland its a bit different, due primarily to religion dominating our local politics, and 'deeply religious' politicians wanting to save us all from the demon drink. A cap was placed on the number of bar licences, and if you want to open a bar you need to buy a licence from another bar that is closing. This means that bars mortgages are all tied to tthe licence rather than the buildung like most places. This has led to crazy prices for licences - one place I worked paid £1m for one in the city centre. There are also restrictions on how far you can move a licence as well - approx 1/2 mile in urban areas and (iirc) 5 miles in rural. Still no shortage of bars though