MyShout
Invading hordes are adopting a new guise in modern-day York, says Stephen Oliver
Every time I travel to York I pack my waders and inflatable canoe, just in case the city becomes submerged like a latter-day Alexandria.
The ancient city's walls were built to help keep feet dry - not to keep out the invading hordes. And they're quite handy for navigation - allegedly, there is no point within York's city walls from which you're unable to see at least one pub and one church.
The famous Quaker chocolate magnate and social reformer Joseph Rowntree left his indelible mark on the city. Now, its local authority, trading standards, police and the rest of the "public protection infrastructure" are determined to have an even more significant impact on our industry. They're leading the way on under-age drinking in this ancient Quaker place. And others are watching, ready to pounce.
Last week a local district judge threw out a case against a managed house operator who was the premises licence holder for a pub where a test purchase had shown a sale to an under-age agent provocateur. Others lined up and ready to go, including one of ours - where UPC was the premises licence holder but the tenant had made the illegal sale - were also dropped. Under the Licensing Act there is no specific offence other than by the DPS (designated premises supervisor) and the member of staff who made the sale.
Only a year after the new licensing law came into force, the Violent Crime Reduction Bill gained royal assent. Among a whole range of measures - including the dubious Alcohol Disorder Zones regulations - this new law creates an offence giving police and trading standards powers to close a licensed premises for 48 hours for persistently selling alcohol to youths.
What is not flagged up in the headlines, but is buried deep in the legislation, is the absolute link between the offence of under-age sales and the premises licensee. Three "hits" in three months and the fine reaches £10,000 (yes, ten thousand pounds) plus closure for up to three months. At a stroke, the fine is doubled from the Licensing Act and if you're a premises licence holder, whether free trade, managed or tenanted, you're in the frame. This is a classic case of the Government introducing a "Trojan horse" amendment - they've hidden a key change to the law in a different bill to ensure that no-one will notice.
But, let me tell you, York and all the others are completely aware. Expect a host of unnannounced test purchasing - not just on drink but also on cigarettes.
We encountered one just the other day - the kid who was sent in to buy fags had a scarf wrapped round his face. Our licencee was quick-witted enough to stop him, but enforcement authorities are getting devious and becoming more determined to claim some scalps.
Yorkies clearly decided many years ago that it was better to be marooned inside a pub than outside.
They built so many establishments that it was reputed to have a pub for every day of the year.
The way things are going, they'll soon only have enough for each day of the week.
