Drinkers want flexible hours, says new research
Over 70 per cent of people think that licensing laws in the UK need to change for Britain to become more cosmopolitan, according to new research.
The survey by the Yellow Pages was carried out to investigate people's changing attitudes towards modern lifestyles. It revealed that consumers backed the new Licensing Act, saying that a new, more flexible licensing system needs to be introduced for Britain to become a more 24-hour culture.
The highest figure was among those in Brighton, one of the most popular UK destinations for nightlife, which found that eight out of 10 people agreed that licensing hours needed to be altered. Nearly half of residents in the major cities of Liverpool and Newcastle went further and wanted to see bars and pubs open round the clock.
But, according to The Publican Market Report 2003, only one per cent of licensees want to open 24 hours across the whole week, while two per cent plan to open 24 hours at weekends.
Thirty-two per cent of licensees are planning to stay with their current hours while 36 per cent will take advantage of the extended hours by closing at midnight on a Friday and Saturday night.
Mark Hastings, spokesman for the British Beer & Pub Association, said: "One of the key reasons for licensing reform was to offer choice for adults. Pubs could lose out to other leisure providers such as restaurants and clubs. It's vital that we as a trade listen to what consumers want and seek to respond to that."
