Health & Safety

Wales proposes minimum pricing and e-cigarette ban

02-Apr-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

The Welsh Government has set out its intention to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol and is proposing to ban e-cigarettes in pubs and other enclosed spaces.

Pub trade slams Public Health England's 'inappropriate' statistics

02-Apr-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Industry figures have criticised Public Health England’s “inappropriate” use of statistics and called for the Government agency to start engaging with the alcohol industry.

E-cigarette brand launches new product to counter vapour concerns

17-Mar-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

A Scottish electronic-cigarette maker has claimed to have addressed the growing number of vaping bans in pubs with a new product that doesn’t emit any visible vapour.

Blackpool Council agrees to EMRO rejection

13-Mar-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Blackpool Council has endorsed the licensing committee’s recommendation to reject an early morning restriction order (EMRO), which would have banned the sale of alcohol after 3am within the town centre.

Lambeth rejects EMRO after claiming the measure 'needs reviewing'

06-Mar-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Lambeth Council has rejected plans for an early morning restriction order, stating that the legislation needs re-examining to see if it is suitable for solving the problem of late-night nuisance from bars and clubs.

Trade must 'rally together' to fight late-night levies, says licensing lawyer

05-Mar-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Apathy among the trade towards late-night levies is a big concern and a significant factor in local authorities bringing in the tax, according to a leading licensing lawyer.

Islington takes a step closer to introducing late-night levy

26-Feb-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Islington Council appears a step closer to implementing a late-night levy (LNL) at tomorrow night’s (27th February) decisive public meeting, after it emerged that its licensing committee had already approved the proposals.

Blackpool's EMRO rejection could 'spell the end' of the measure, says licensing law firm

13-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Blackpool Council licensing committee’s rejection of an early morning restriction order (EMRO) could “spell the end of the EMRO” – that’s according to a leading licensing law firm.

Trade welcomes Blackpool EMRO rejection

10-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Leading trade figures have welcomed Blackpool Council’s licensing committee’s rejection of an early morning restriction order (EMRO), which would have banned the sale of alcohol in licensed premises in the town from 3am to 6am.

Police use 'dodgy evidence' in LNL and EMRO cases, say leading lawyers

06-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Police are consistently presenting “dodgy evidence” during licensing hearings on late-night levies (LNL) and early morning restriction orders (EMROs), leading licensing lawyers have claimed.

Blackpool pubs should 'reconsider their business model', says leading licensing lawyer

04-Feb-2014

A leading licensing barrister has suggested that Blackpool’s pubs and clubs should “reconsider their business model”, after claiming the introduction of an early morning restriction order (EMRO) would be “no death knell” for the town’s trade.

Leeds City Council executive board recommends late-night levy rejection

20-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Leeds City Council’s executive board has rejected proposals to introduce a late-night levy, favouring partnership working instead.

Cheltenham Council second to approve late-night levy

17-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Cheltenham Borough Council is the second local authority in England and Wales to approve proposals for a late-night levy.

Blackpool delays EMRO hearing for second time

09-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Blackpool Council has deferred a hearing into a proposed early morning restriction order (EMRO), which was due to take place from today until Friday, 13 December, after the licensing trade highlighted procedural irregularities in the pre-hearing procedure.

Blackpool Council could be first to face legal challenge over EMRO

05-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Local authorities have been making “dreadful procedural errors” and could face legal challenges from the trade over the introduction of early-morning restriction orders (EMROs) and late-night levies (LNLs), trade bodies have claimed. 

Fuller's bans e-cigarettes from pubs

27-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Fuller’s has banned the use of e-cigarettes inside all its pubs, because the product causes “anxiety” among customers and staff.

Late-night levies & EMROs: progress report

08-Nov-2013 By Poppleston Allen

An update on the situation across the country by licensing specialists Poppleston Allen.

Newcastle implements late-night levy; Kingston rejects EMRO; Blackpool sets EMRO hearing date

01-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Newcastle licensees will begin paying a late-night levy today, after the local council rubber-stamped proposals to introduce the measure in June.

Clapham bars fear Lambeth Council EMRO will force closure

25-Oct-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Bars on one road in Clapham have warned they face closure if an early morning restriction order (EMRO) proposed by Lambeth Council becomes a reality.

Warrington rejects EMRO; Woking rejects EMRO and late-night levy

16-Oct-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Warrington Council has voted against the introduction of an early morning restriction order (EMRO) and Woking councillors have rejected plans to introduce either an EMRO or a late-night levy.

Lambeth council wants 'zoned' opening hours

30-Sep-2013 By John Harrington

Lambeth Council in London wants to introduce a zoning system for opening hours and recommends stringent new regulations around licensee and staff training for licensed premises in the borough.

Milton Keynes next for late-night levy

19-Sep-2013 By John Harrington

Milton Keynes is set to be the next area to implement a late-night levy.

Industry criticises City of London's late-night levy proposal

10-Sep-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Industry figures have spoken out against the City of London Corporation’s proposal for a late night levy, demanding further research must be undertaken and warning that a fee may undermine existing licensing policy.

Tameside begins late-night levy consultation

20-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs, bars and clubs in Tameside may be subject to a late-night levy as the local council is consulting on whether to introduce the fee.

Blackpool licensees support enquiry into 'compromised' EMRO consultation

20-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Blackpool licensees have praised a leading councillor’s enquiry into the practices of an early morning restriction order (EMRO) consultation after he claimed council staff were “colluding” with the police.

York begins consultation on late-night levy

08-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

York City Council has launched a consultation on whether to introduce a late-night levy in the city centre.

Blackpool Council leader says EMRO would only affect two nightclubs

02-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The leader of Blackpool Council has said the introduction of an early morning restriction order (EMRO) would only “lead to two nightclubs closing a couple of hours earlier” in the town, despite an influx of responses from the pub industry condemning the...

Trade urges rethink over Blackpool council's EMRO plans

29-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The pub trade has urged Blackpool council to rethink its plans for an early morning restriction order (EMRO), saying it will “devastate” the town’s tourism economy and create a “flashpoint” for violence.

Britain's heatwave presents health risk, say environmental health consultants

23-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Environmental health consultants have warned of the harmful effects of sitting in pub gardens and working in stuffy kitchens.

British Gas to stop selling auto-rollover business energy contracts

17-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

British Gas will stop selling auto-rollover business energy contracts from 1 September 2013.

Action plan for tackling EMROs

08-Jul-2013 By Poppleston Allen

You have heard from a reliable source that your licensing authority may shortly be consulting on whether or not to introduce an early-morning restriction order (EMRO). What should you do? Our action plan lays out suggested steps.

Trade condemns Newcastle's late-night levy approval

03-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Newcastle City Council’s decision to introduce a late-night levy has provoked fears that it will give other councils the green light and force small operators out of business.

Milton Keynes defers late-night levy

27-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Milton Keynes Council has deferred making a decision over whether to introduce a late-night levy.

Northampton Council rejects EMRO due to fear of job losses

20-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Northampton Borough Council has rejected plans to introduce an early morning restriction order (EMRO) in the town centre due to the financial impact on licensees and potential job losses.

E-cigarettes to be classified as 'medicines' to help smokers quit

13-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

E-cigarettes are to be reclassified as “medicines” in a move to make them safer and more effective in reducing the harm caused by smoking.

Bristol City Council to consider EMRO and late-night levy

17-May-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs in Bristol are the latest in a string of areas to be threatened with restrictions for opening hours.

Blackpool pubwatch: EMRO will lead to breakdown of relationship between trade and authorities

17-May-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Blackpool’s pubwatch chair has said that restricting pub opening hours in the city could lead to a break down in the relationship between the trade, police and council.

Hartlepool Borough Council rejects EMRO

07-May-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Hartlepool Borough Council has rejected plans to introduce an early morning restriction order (EMRO) in the town centre.

Pressure group Common Sense Alliance launches campaign against late-night levy

23-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

A pressure group featuring high-profile figures from the worlds of policing, media, business and the licensed trade in particular has launched a campaign against the late-night levy.

Licensing firm urges publicans to respond to EMRO or late-night levy consultations

22-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees and pub companies must respond to any consultations that their local authority introduces on restricting pub hours before it’s too late - that’s the advice from licensing law firm John Gaunt & Partners.

Majority of local authorities shun EMROs and late-night levies

12-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

More than three quarters of local authorities have ruled out introducing either an early morning restriction order (EMRO) or a late night levy (LNL) in the near future, while just 1% say they plan to introduce either measure, according to a survey of...

Late-night levy: lawyers warn pubs over change of trading hours

20-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees who opt to apply for fewer trading hours when a late-night levy is introduced in their area should make sure that the change is only in place while the levy is in force.

Government launches consultation on proposals which align pubs with 'crack houses'

03-Jan-2013 By Adam Pescod

Licensees have the chance to respond to a consultation on the Government’s new anti-social behaviour proposals which include a power to close pubs for up to 48 hours following public disorder incidents.

Newcastle City Council risks legal challenge over minimum pricing licence conditions

19-Dec-2012 By John Harrington

Newcastle City Council has been warned it could be breaching competition law by applying licence conditions on two bars that set a minimum price of £1.25p per unit on the sale of alcohol.

British Gas warns small businesses over gas safety requirements

30-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Over half a million small businesses in Britain are at risk because they are unaware of their legal requirements to carry out gas safety checks, according to new research from British Gas. 

Duke of York pub wins Westminster council licence review hearing

23-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Westminster City Council insisted it was right to review the licence of the Duke of York in Fitzrovia, despite footing the bill for the review as the pub emerged victorious from the hearing.

Local councils cool their interest in late-night levy

22-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Two local councils have pulled back from plans to introduce a late-night levy (LNL) despite expressing an interest in the controversial measure earlier this year.

Late-night levy: Lib Dem MP John Thurso raises concerns about how money could be spent

12-Nov-2012

A Lib Dem MP, who is a former Lord, has raised concerns over how the money raised by a late-night levy could be used.

BHA accuses Government of backtracking over hotel bars EMRO exemption

09-Nov-2012 By John Harrington

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has accused the Government of backtracking on plans to exempt hotel bars from being subject to Early Morning Restriction Orders (EMROs).

Late-night levy: "No guarantee that money will be spent where it is raised"

08-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Money raised by local councils through the late-night levy could end up being spent in other council districts, according to the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM).