Unruly pubs to be shut in Olympics run-up

The leader of Westminster City Council has warned that irresponsible pubs will be shut as the 2012 Olympics approaches.

Cllr Colin Barrow also said venues serving drunks would be targeted by finding out where troublemakers bought their last drink.

He was speaking at a meeting of trade figures, local authorities, MPs and others last night into the late-night economy and the Olympics in London yesterday evening.

Barrow said the council "would make no apology" for being "very tough" on unruly premises before 2012, saying: "We would prefer to get good management in place as we go along."

He said the industry would be "better served" if rogue operators who serve drunks were caught by tracking the last place troublemakers bought their alcohol.

Barrow added: "I would make sure everybody who dispenses drinks behaves really well."

The councillor also urged the leisure industry to attract a "wider range" of people into the city centre at night.

Earlier Business in Sport and Leisure chief executive Brigid Simmonds said the Olympics could generate an extra £2bn for the trade and applications for extended hours at pubs "should be looked upon favourably by licensing authorities".

Noctis executive director Paul Smith urged authorities not to treat pubs and clubs as "a problem to be dealt with rather than a fantastic industry to be nurtured."

"We work with a huge number of responsible operators and we believe a well-run late-night sector is a considerable asset."

Smith said blanket and "burdensome" licence conditions "hardly help" and finding a way to stop deep discounting in supermarkets "would be useful". The Noctis boss also urged better public transport and public toilet facilities for 2012.

The event was hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and the All-Party Parliamentary Leisure Group.

• Noctis and Diageo have launched a new good-practice guide on operating licensed premises, called Community Engagement in the Night Time Economy.