Government panned for pub licensing changes - again.

By Iain O'Neil

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags New licensing act Government

Government panned for pub licensing changes - again.
Watchdog says fees for licensees 'unnecessarily high'.

The Government's bungled introduction of the new Licensing Act will come under fire again today - this time from its own watchdog.

The Better Regulation Commission, established in January to advise the government on regulatory affairs, says licensees have been hit by unnecessary increases in costs under the new regime.

The commission's report says the Government made mistakes and calls for amendments to the act.

Our review has found that mistakes were made during the process​Rick Haythornthwaite, commission chairman.

It is the second body to criticise the legislation after an ODPM Select Committee blasted the way its introduction had been handled by the Government.

Rick Haythornthwaite, commission chairman, said the Government was right to reform licensing but added: "Our review has found that mistakes were made during the process.

"Some of these mistakes could have been avoided if better regulation procedures had been followed.

"The unfortunate irony is that the Licensing Act 2003 was widely expected to be a deregulatory proposal, to slash bureaucracy and deliver big savings for the hospitality and leisure industry. We received representations from businesses complaining it was having the opposite effect."

Main problems include:Application process:​The 21-page form was "overly long and complicated" and "no allowance for minor errors"Additional - and often unexpected - costs and fees:​ Applicants had to pay for local newspaper ads and obtain plans of their premises.Timescale: ​Guidance for councils not published early enough, despite Government having 19 months to prepare for the new regime.Guidance itself: ​There is still uncertainty about whether the DPS (designated premises supervisor) must be on-site when alcohol is served, and what constitutes incidental music.Other guidance:​There was "inadequate consultation and lack of guidance" for businesses not directly involved in on and off-sales (eg:takeaways).Interpretation and enforcement:​What is accepted by one council may not be accepted by another, and some local authorities introduced their own forms and notices.

Tim Martin, chairman of JD Wetherspoon, told the Financial Times he was unhappy with the way the act was introduced.

He said: "It was handled in a way so as to maximise bureaucracy."

He described the £400m Wetherspoons spent complying with the new legislation as "wasted money" saying the old system was cheap and effective.

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