Councils play for extra time on reform

The pub trade could be forced to deal with the introduction of new licensing laws during the most hectic trading period of the year, if local authorities get their way.

With the government firmly set on gaining Royal Assent for the bill in June or early July, many local authorities are arguing that it will take longer than a year to implement the practical changes necessary to transfer licensing control from magistrates.

They want the transition period, which will follow the bill becoming law, to end in December 2004 and are urging the government to increase the proposed time frame from one year.

The news was greeted with dismay by Rick Robinson, licensee of the Willoughby Arms, in Kingston, Surrey.

"Pubs start planning for Christmas in August, so we need to know where we stand," he said.

"After the debacle of the last few years over the millennium and extended New Year opening, we'd certainly be hoping to benefit from permanent extended opening hours by Christmas 2004.

"Once again, we're in a situation where the trade knows what it wants, but it's taken out of our hands."

John Grogan MP, chairman of the Liquor Licensing Reform Panel of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, told local authority delegates at a licensing conference in London this week that they are now in a "strong lobbying position" to gain last-minute concessions on issues such as the transition period.

The MP (pictured)​ suggested that the government might be prepared to accept a six-month extension to Christmas 2004 in order to ensure local authority support.

Mr Grogan said civil servants from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport had proposed a one-year transition period as "a basis for negotiation" with local authorities.

However, Mr Grogan accepted that 18 months from June would create difficulties for the trade. He told thePublican.com: "Clearly, the trade would like to see the reforms in place well in time for Christmas 2004.

"The trade should now be arguing its case for around October 2004 rather than the end of the year." Philip Portwood, of the Association of London Government, said a year was unrealistic. He pointed to the need for local authorities to review their licensing policies, recruit new licensing staff and train councillors and staff on their new responsibilities.

Mark Hastings, spokesman for the British Beer & Pub Association, said: "As an industry, we'd like to see the change implemented as soon as possible, but it is also important that the new licensing regime operates effectively.

"A year was always going to be an ambitious timetable." Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, said companies and individual pubs should plan exactly what variations they need and be ready to apply as soon as the timetable is announced.

'Voluntary' fee to councils​

Pub operators could be asked for "voluntary" payments from local authorities to cover the costs of late-night policing, street cleaning and other services.

Speaking to local authority delegates at a conference last week, Philip Portwood, chairman of the Transport and Environment Committee of the Association of London Government, suggested that councils could ask for voluntary payments from publicans, similar to a scheme already in place in his own borough of Ealing.

His comments follow news that the government will not be forcing pubs to pick up the costs as part of new licensing reforms.

Industry associations argue that the trade already pays through duty, taxes, national insurance and business rates.