Licensee hits out at local council control of licensing

A licensee has highlighted his disastrous experiences with his local council in a bid to stop the transfer of licensing from magistrates.

Peter Lowry of the Two Doves in Bromley, Kent, wrote to Baroness Buscombe (pictured)​, the Tory spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to voice his concerns about the shift in power under the new Licensing Bill.

Mr Lowry was locked in a three-year planning battle against his local council after it mistakenly issued an incorrectly worded decision notice. It led him to believe that planning permission for a new pub garden had been granted when it had not.

Mr Lowry only realised something had gone wrong when he was issued with an enforcement notice, which forced him to close the garden.

He said: "I feel very uneasy about councils being able to make decisions on licensing and I've yet to speak to any publican who agrees with transferring control from magistrates to councils.

"I don't know what doctorate Kim Howells has but his diagnosis of the industry is alien to most."

A large number of licensees who are worried about the Licensing Bill have passed on their comments to Baroness Buscombe.

The Conservative peer, who has appealed for licensees to send her their opinions, said: "It has been very helpful. Most of the responses voiced concerns about the added bureaucracy the bill might bring."

Last week the Baroness highlighted to the government the trade's fears over red tape and the issue of allowing unaccompanied children into pubs.

The bill is now set to go to the report stage in the House of Lords at the end of February.