Licensees join the big debate

Almost 2,000 of you responded to The Publican's survey on licensing reform which just goes to show the weight of opinion on the issue and the need for licensees' views to be represented in this debate.

We would like to thank all 1,866 respondents for taking the time to fill out the questionnaire and return it to us. The survey offers a unique insight into the views of the people at the sharp end of the trade - those on the front line who are going to be most affected by any change to the licensing system.

You can rest assured that we will be sending all of your responses direct to the powers-that-be to ensure that their decisions are fully informed ones. The Publican Newspaper and thePublican.com will, as always, keep you up to date with the very latest on licensing reform in the coming weeks as we wait for news on this year's Queen's Speech and any licensing bill that it may contain.

Above graph: do you think there is a need for licensing reform?​

No prizes for guessing what The Publican's licensing survey revealed on the question of who should be in charge of the new licensing regime.​

An overwhelming 70 per cent of respondents said they favoured magistrate control over plans by the government to put local authorities in charge.

This demonstrates the strength of feeling that there is among the UK's licensees on this issue - and it is importent to note that while so many are against local authority control, at the same time 86 per cent want to see licensing reform in some guise go through.

It is interesting, then, to look at licensees' views on magistrates. The campaign for magistrate control has, in the past, been accused of having a slightly blinkered view on the issue - a "grass is always greener" approach. But the licensing survey shows that licensees are not just opposed to local authority control because it will upset the status quo or because they have a selective memory when it comes to remembering the bad side of magistrate control.

For those 70 per cent who support magistrate control, almost half (45 per cent) said they agreed there needed to be significant improvement in the system under magistrates but still favoured them over local authorities. A quarter of them felt there needed to be more consistency across the country if magistrates were to retain control and 12 per cent felt there should be less paperwork and less obligation to attend court.

Only 18 per cent would allow magistrates to continue operating as they do under the current system.

Looking at reasons for licensees' support of magistrates, the licensing survey found almost half (47 per cent) of those opposed to local authority control feared that councillors would be politically-biased in their decisions.

A further 16 per cent were concerned that councils would give too much weight to residents' views and the same number cited past experiences where local authorities had dealt badly with public entertainment licences or planning applications.

A fifth of respondents (20 per cent) also feared a rise in costs if local authorities were given control. In contrast, one positive aspect of the reforms was the proposed introduction of dual licensing, whereby licensees and pub premises both require separate licences to operate. A very impressive 90 per cent of those responding to the survey supported the move to introduce this system.

This highlights the mixed response to the government's plans - some of which are highly rated by the trade and others have met with significant opposition.

So where can we go from here?

One of the most significant responses to The Publican's licensing survey was on the best way to proceed.

Recent months have seen the pub trade split over this - with some arguing that we have to work with ministers to see reform through while others believe what is on the table is too damaging and must be scrapped.

The licensing survey found that while concern about the current proposals was evident, licensees were still hoping to lobby ministers to change things for the better.

Almost half of those who responded (47 per cent) felt that the trade should continue to lobby ministers for a review of the current proposals and just over a fifth (21 per cent) wanted to press ahead with what is on the table in the hope that something positive will come out of it in this year's Queen's Speech. But it is also worth noting that 32 per cent (almost a third) of respondents are still after a complete reworking of the plans - they want the proposals dropped completely in favour of a fresh start.

And even more concerning is the 63 per cent - that's almost two thirds of respondents - who said that they were not confident the Labour government could deliver positive licensing reforms for our industry. This disillusionment with the current administration is again reflected in the number who said they would vote Conservative in the next election - 44 per cent, as compared to 28 per cent supporting Labour, 23 per cent Liberal Democrat and four per cent Green Party.

Above graph: who would you prefer to control licensing?​

What licensees are saying​

"The proposed new system is a money-making, stealth-taxing scam to help with local council shortfalls. The new system would be too open to misuse."Michele Preston, the Selden Arms, Worthing, West Sussex​

"Staggered pub closing will definitely reduce violence and disorder."N Amlani, the Regency Club, Edgware, Middlesex​

"Local authorities cannot be trusted to be unbiased in any respect whereas magistrates apply the law as it is written."D J Woodford, the Lord Nelson, Bradenham, Norfolk​

"My children refer to the pre-colour TV days as 'the black and white days' and I feel that is where our licensing laws are now."Richard Sanders, the Stonemason's Arms, Heywood, Lancashire​

"I believe all licensees need to unite and make their collective voice heard - we will then be a force to reckon with."Lorna and Gary Cooper, the Stalbridge Arms, Stalbridge, Dorset​

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."M J Naylor, the Royal Oak, Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire​

"I personally think reform is fairly simple yet it is made to look very complicated."Keith Sutcliffe, the Bulls Head, Stockport, Cheshire​

"Magistrates know what they are doing, they have been doing it long enough."G Kelso, the Old Court House, Tipton, West Midlands​

"Giving licensees the right to choose when they open is far too simple a concept for politicians to comprehend."D P Woodhead, the Fairway, Keyworth, Nottinghamshire​

"I look forward to the day when drinking is not treated like some dangerous privilege to be limited at every turn."John Clark, the Polish Bar, London WC1​

Longer opening hours​

One of the main points of going through the whole licensing reform process is to achieve longer opening hours for the UK's pubs.

Extended hours are something that has long been demanded by both the industry and the public - many of whom are at a loss to explain why they can go on holiday to France and relax in a Paris bar until the early hours but still be forced out of their local by 11.30pm.

But it is also clear from The Publican's licensing survey that reform will not - as the tabloids have wrongly splashed across their front pages several times - mean all pubs will be open 24 hours a day.

The survey found that while nearly two thirds (66 p