Licensees still confused over Licensing Act

More than 40 per cent of licensees are confused about what they should be doing for the new Licensing Act.

In a poll on thePublican.com almost a quarter of respondents said they had already offered to help their local authority with its new licensing policy.

But the highest proportion of licensees - 41 per cent - said although they wanted to help they were unsure what they should be doing.

Twenty-seven per cent said they were waiting to be contacted by their council.

This follows criticisms from a leading local authority chief who slammed licensees for showing no interest in the new act.

Patrick Crowley, the vice chairman of the body responsible for advising local authorities on the new licensing regime, recommended licensees get involved with their local authorities.

Although ten per cent of respondents expressed their dissatisfaction with the act by saying they were not interested in helping with the changes, the results of the poll seem to show that it is confusion, rather than disinterest, that is stopping licensees from getting involved with their local authorities.

John Monteiro, tenant of the Bugle and Blagrave Arms in Reading, Berkshire, said: "My local authority has had plenty of internal meetings about the new regime but has held nothing for licensees.

"I feel we have been kept in the dark.

"Licensees are interested but we already have to spend lots of time on paperwork and trying to enforce other legislation."

The government has been criticised for passing the act before publishing a full set of guidelines to help licensees and local authorities.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport says the final draft of the statutory guidance should be passed by Parliament this autumn.

Related articles:​

New licensing guide for publicans launched (5 September 2003)

Publicans lack interest in Licensing Act, claims LA chief (4 September 2003)