South Yorkshire Police clarifies its position on licence-holders
South Yorkshire Police has backtracked over its policy of forcing personal licence-holders to remain on the premises during holidays.
Following the clarification by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell last week the force claims it is "remaining with its policy" of allowing an authorised person to sell alcohol in the licensee's absence.
This is despite its insistence in April that it wanted to prosecute a Barnsley licensee for not being on the premises - regardless of the fact the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that "no offence had taken place".
Tracy Elrington, licensee of the Mount pub in Barnsley, was forced to return from her holiday in Spain when the pub was the subject of a closure order.
The local police claimed a personal licence-holder was required to be on the premises at all times or easily contactable. At the time, PC Adrian Waites from the licensing division at Barnsley told The Publican it would continue to implement this policy until it received legal clarification.
However, in a dramatic u-turn the force has now refuted claims it ever had this policy in place. It denies it ever insisted a personal licence-holder should be on the premises and now claims it only needed to be an authorised person.
A spokeman for South Yorkshire Police said: "The new guidelines by the department reflect the advice we have been giving licensees." The police force says it is happy "as long as someone in authority is able to sell alcohol in their absence".
The alleged turn-around has been greeted favorably by the pub trade.
North of England regional secretary of the British Beer & Pub Association Lee Le Clercq said: "We are delighted South Yorkshire Police has reviewed its policy and is prepared to
follow the sensible approach. There's no reason why a licensee shouldn't be able to go on holiday."
Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations, was happy with the move.
"What we want to do is work with the police. All we want to do is sit round the table with them," he said.
"The licensee is still responsible when they are away from the premises. We have a meeting coming up with the local authority and police to clarify that we are working as a team."
