Gerry: oppose duty with united voice

Pub closures caused by change in habits

Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe has repeated his view that the trade can overturn planned alcohol duty hikes if it speaks with one voice.

In a boost to the Morning Advertiser's Fight the Hikes campaign, Sutcliffe told the Community Pubs Inquiry at Westminster that the Chancellor has proved he will change his mind if presented with clear evidence.

"If the industry can show the impact on trade (of the duty escalator), he will listen and make a decision based on the evidence," he said.

"My concern is that the industry does not speak with one voice. If it did, the message would come across more strongly."

The view was given in an interview with MA editor Andrew Pring earlier this year, when the minister said the trade was "right to be upset" about the duty hikes — although this comment was later retracted.

Sutcliffe told the inquiry "it is not the Government's job to keep pubs open". He said he recognised pubs as a "social hub" of communities, but the trade should learn more from those pubs that have been successful.

"What I want to do is try and support those successes and get the message across to others," he said.

Sutcliffe said he considered there were a number of reasons why pub closures had reached a "crisis" point, but chiefly that drinking habits had changed.

The Community Pubs Inquiry is expected to publish its report in September.

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Licensing Act review will cut red tape

Sutcliffe promised the review of the Licensing Act would lead to several measures to ease the red tape burden on pubs.

One change is being able to email applications for temporary events notices rather than send in hard copies.

Some of the changes, which don't require primary legislation, could be in place by October.

He also admitted that

the concept of a "café culture" was "just the spin put on the idea of the Licensing Act".

Sutcliffe was also keen to stress that himself and Home Office minister Vernon Coaker had held meetings with local authorities and police to ensure the Licensing Act was interpreted and enforced more consistently.

He said he hoped there would be a "light touch" and "common sense approach" to enforcement of the act.

Meanwhile, the minister said he would take up the issue of extending rate relief for pubs that provide community facilities with the Department for Communities & Local Government.