Northern Ireland welcomes reform of licensing laws

Northern Ireland's licensees have welcomed the promise of a much-needed overhaul of the province's licensing laws.

Social development minister John Spellar has announced a review of the restrictive laws, which is likely to recommend longer opening hours along the lines of licensing reform in England and Wales. The trade also hopes that strict controls on new licences will be eased.

Mr Spellar said the review will look at opening hours, enforcement and health issues, and will be followed by a public consultation next year. He said there had been growing public calls for a more modern licensing framework. Currently, standard opening hours in Northern Ireland run to 11 pm, with extensions possible until 1am through the week and midnight on Sundays. There is no provision for late-night club-style venues and there is a freeze on new licences which puts a high price on licences when they change hands.

The Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade (FRLT), which has been campaigning for the review, welcomed the announcement, but called for the process to be speeded up. Chief executive Nicola Jamison said: "If Northern Ireland is to become a thriving tourism destination for the 21st century, we need to look at what has happened in the rest of Europe and what is happening now in England and Wales where licensees are being given increased flexibility to apply for different opening hours."

Flexible hours would end public order problems at closing time, as well as help tackle illegal alcohol sales, said Ms Jamison. "The current situation is having a real effect on members' businesses and on tourism to Northern Ireland. The process needs to get underway as a matter of urgency," she added.

Operator Garvan O'Doherty, who runs a group of pubs around Derry, said the Northern Irish trade needed a range of different types of outlets operating various opening hours. "That is what the consumer wants and that is what we should provide," he said.