Beer Group wants longer licensing consultation

Beer Group MPs are demanding the government extends its licensing reform consultation claiming it is "unreasonably curtailing" the chance for people to have a say.

The coalition government has announced major plans to shake-up licensing laws and has been running consultation events on the issue throughout this month.

However, in a letter to Home Office minister James Brokenshire the chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Alan Meale MP, said there are not enough events and that holding them in the holiday season means not enough people can raise their concerns.

He added that many of the 310 Beer Group members have called for a longer period of consultation.

The letter states: "Many in the trade feel that by consulting for only six weeks, and what's more during the summer holiday period, you are unreasonably curtailing the opportunity for those interested in the matter to give these questions proper consideration and to make their views known, whether at the public meetings or by entering written submissions.

"I am advised that companies, licensees and representative bodies have all expressed concern, and my own constituents have protested that although several have applied for places at your hearings not a single one has been granted one.

"In the light of this I call upon you now to extend the consultation and to add sufficient additional hearings to enable all those who reasonably wish to participate and to make their views known to do so."

The Home Office recently added two extra dates - London, which happened on Monday, and Nottingham next Monday (August 23) - to the five consultation events already planned.

The government's plans include introducing a 'late-night levy' on premises with late licences, giving more powers to councils to hike fees and close premises, banning below-cost selling and allowing anyone to object to premises openings no matter where they live.

The Home Office has yet to respond to the letter which was sent last week.

For more information on the consultation and to find out how you can have your say visit consultations.homeoffice.gov.uk​