Minister promises review of drinks law advice
The government has said it will review its advice regarding applications for extended alcohol licenses after councils claimed it was skewed in favour of pubs and clubs.
Pubs minister James Purnell told the Financial Times the guidance given to local councils on how to handle licensees’ applications for late-night opening would be swiftly reviewed once the new Licensing Act comes into effect in November.
The Local Government Association (LGA) had called for the guidance to be tightened, amid fears that the new licensing rules do not give local residents enough power to block pub, bar and restaurant applications for extended licensing hours.
The guidance currently gives pubs and clubs grounds to appeal to magistrates if their application is rejected.
The advice, issued to local authorities and the police, will now be reviewed by ministers early next year Mr Purnell said, stressing that the government wanted to be “conciliatory” in its approach.
“The LGA have been central in helping us to implement the act and have been extremely constructive all the way through,” Mr Purnell told the Financial Times.
“We want to continue to be constructive and that’s why we are happy to have an early review of the guidance once 200,000 pubs, clubs and restaurants have been relicensed.”
Mr Purnell added that town halls already had the power to take into account local opposition to late opening.
Welcoming the announcement of the review, LGA chairman, Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said: “I have argued that the guidance is too liberalising, too strong in encouraging extended hours and too little discretion given to local authorities.”
The government has rejected Conservative calls to delay the introduction of the licensing reforms, which will allow pubs and clubs to apply for 24-hour opening, amid fears the changes will fuel binge drinking and alcohol-related crime.
Ministers insist the reforms will provide greater choice and flexibility for consumers and reduce the potential for violence by staggering closing times.
