Festive period shows longer hours have no effect on crime

Predictions of waves of violence and a sales bonanza for pubs opening later failed to materialise during what turned out to be a subdued festive period.

The Daily Mail blamed the new licensing laws for "a horrifying wave of alcohol-fuelled violence and carnage" on December 31, yet many police forces reported a normal or quieter than usual New Year period.

Meanwhile, licensees are continuing to report that they are struggling to find ways to make the most of the opportunity to open later.

Mary Bryne, licensee of the Big Tree in Sheffield, said: "We've had a quieter New Year than last year. We've taken on extra hours but they're not really proving worthwhile.

"I'm paying more for the DJ, doorstaff and barstaff than the £80-odd I'm taking after 11pm. Supermarkets are opening for longer hours to sell drinks now and that has had an impact on us as well."

Ms Bryne has been granted a one-hour extension for Fridays and Saturdays, allowing her pub to stay open until midnight, as well as an extension to open an hour earlier and stay open an hour later on Sundays.

"Opening an hour earlier on Sundays has made no difference whatsoever," she added.

More than seven out of 10 licensees who have taken on more hours have not found it economically viable to use them so far, according to a poll on thePublican.com carried out before Christmas.

In addition, a BBC survey of 1,000 people in Wales carried out in December found that 83 per cent had found the licensing reforms have made little or no difference.

Maxine Doyle, licensee of the Hare & Hounds in Manchester, said the Christmas period had been "about the same as last year".

Despite having been granted extra hours in November, she has yet to make full use of them.

"I haven't used my allocation," she said. "I can't see how if you live on the premises you can go to bed with a sound mind if there are still people downstairs."

Police deny licensing changes fuelled trouble​

• Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire police forces all said that pubs' later opening made no apparent difference to disorder.
• Manchester police said that most drink-related incidents that occurred over the New Year actually took place in homes rather than licensed premises.
• A spokesman for Hampshire police said: "It was relatively quiet. There were certainly no major incidents."
• Lancashire police said it was "quieter than usual", while Cheshire said it was "a normal New Year's Eve".
• West Yorkshire police said that the number of calls received was slightly lower than last year.
• Cardiff police said there had been 174 drunk and disorderly-related incidents between December 14 and January 1, a small increase on last year's 138 incidents. "But I don't think that we'd be able to attribute anything to the change in licensing laws," said a spokesman. "I don't think it's had any effect whatsoever."