A rocky road for licensees

Some licensees claim that the new licensing regime is often a double-edged sword and can seem like a minefield for inexperienced pub operators

Graham Rowson, Plungington Tavern, Lancashire

Overall impression: First the good - the principles of the personal licence are great. It lasts 10 years, does not cost a fortune and can be taken with you if you move premises.

Then the bad - even with a slight police conviction you cannot hold a personal licence. So there are quite a few excellent pub operators who cannot hold a licence, whereas anyone else who has a qualification can, despite not having the skills or knowledge.

And finally the ugly - some pubcos actually conned their own licensees into paying a weekly tariff for the duration of their lease. This was called a one-stop-shop and for this fee you paid for the landlords' premises licence and all the costs associated with it. Now that's quite "good" of them considering it's their building premises licence, their beer you sell, plus the rent and maintenance of their building you are paying for. Don't get me wrong, we were not forced into signing, but if only we knew then, what we know now, we would never have fallen for the hype.

Greatest hope: To give licensees the flexibility to open their doors when required, and to do so in a way that is useful, economic and serviceable to the local community, or to meet the needs of a city-centre environment. This has occurred to a large degree.

Greatest fear: My greatest fear is coming to fruition. Licensing authorities plus local and national government can and are imposing restrictions, terms and conditions on us, giving them carté blanch to tell us what we can and cannot do in our own premises.

Main benefits: Longer and relaxed opening hours, access for children, visits from the local authority to standardise conditions of venues, personal licences, CCTV to licensed premises - a Preston City Council condition - community awareness, staggered closing times, better choice of where and when to socialise, TENs - a good idea when you have mastered the use of them.

Issues to be addressed: The Children's Policy seems to contradict itself. Allow them in but don't serve them. This policy is a minefield for any licensee. Like the old children's certificate, maybe there should be some form of standard terms, conditions or facilities that are made compulsory in licensed premises, before children are allowed entrance?

Implementation: I don't think the Government and ministers of the day did such a good job of marketing the Act.

to licensees and the public in general, because at the time there was a cloud surrounding it. Nobody seemed to know what was going on. I have lost count of the number of times I have closed shop, only to be approached by a late customer saying he thought we were open 24 hours or at least until 2am in the morning.

Yvonne Cleminson, Cherry Tree, Surrey

Overall impression: I live

in a village and have noticed little change.

What was not perceived was the amount of extra cost involved for the licensee who was paying £30 for a three-year licence under the old licensing regime. In addition, £20/£25 for each TEN as opposed to £11.

This is not taking into account the cost of varying a licence, which can run into thousands of pounds if there are objections to the variation. The red tape is

enormous.

My overall impression therefore, is that the flexibility I now have with longer opening hours has made the physical part of attending to customers' drinking habits easier, and the freedom to open later is a bonus at weekends.

But customers are creatures of habit and use the later hours when a special event is taking place and leave at the same time as they used to.

Greatest hope: To have the flexibility of longer opening hours and the freedom to enjoy this in summer using my large garden would have been ideal, but too many council restrictions concerning noise and lighting have made this a mockery.

Greatest fear: A neighbour who did not like me for personal reasons and not for the way I have run my pub for 27 years, could make a complaint to the local authority, get my licence rescinded and my business closed down. Having the sword of Damocles hanging over your head is not ideal for a trade that relies on its community to succeed.

Main benefits: Freedom of opening for a longer time at weekends and the

flexibility this brings, with pubs working together with the local authority and police to create a more peaceful and crime-free country.

Issues to be addressed: Cost of the yearly licence. Red tape must be simplified. Realistic reasons for neighbourhood complaints, maybe with a courtesy visit from the LA to each pub, inviting neighbours to a forum to see if the licensing restrictions can be eased.

I would like to see TENs forms simplified and completed on the internet and maybe the fee paid by credit or debit card, a format that is used by most major government departments.

Implementation: It was long-winded and totally chaotic causing many licensees and pub companies to spend needless time and millions of pounds.