Drink Talking: James Crawfurd-Porter

Why is the government making things more complicated than necessary for licensees, asks James Crawfurd-Porter, managing director, Tadcaster Pub Company.

Peter Snow has packed up his swing-o-meter, the Queen has put away her crown and Tony Blair is settling down for his third term in office.

James Purnell, described by those in the know as "one to watch", has been appointed the new licensing minister. His career as a cabinet minister (or even Prime Minister) is guaranteed if he can get 100 per cent of licensing applications granted by the first deadline.

And for Tony Blair and his acolytes we at Tadcaster Pub Company are throwing down the greatest challenge of their careers. Can you manage to refrain from meddling in the pub industry for the rest of your party's natural life?

That is, of course, once you have dealt with the triple fiascos resulting from your current dabblings - licensing, alcohol disorder zones and no-smoking legislation - to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. You'll know when that day arrives when you see the low-flying pigs.

Will the time ever come when hard-working licensees can get back to building their businesses without the distraction of getting passport photos taken, finding someone to witness them, wading through reams of forms then realising they have to be completed in black ink?

Because we have more experience of paper shuffling, Tadcaster is helping all our tenants and lessees to complete their forms. We've calculated it takes between eight and 10 hours to complete the forms for one pub.

That's why we've only submitted six out of 50 applications and we've been working at it since day one.

I can think of no other industry that has been as stifled as the pub trade in recent years by a government that professes to want the "grown-up liberal approach" which James Purnell described in his recent interview with The Publican.

As with all things "government" these days, it would be almost funny if we, the businesses and the risk-takers, weren't actually funding this state-sponsored abuse.

So back off Mr Blair and give us all some space to get on with what we know best.