Major council clampdown on pubs in Oldham
A council is taking drastic action to clampdown on alcohol-related disorder by reviewing the licences at all its town centre pubs, bars and nightclubs.
Oldham Council's trading standards team has called for the review of 22 venues in a response to problems it says are caused by irresponsible drinks promotions.
The team has also put forward a series of draconian measures in an attempt to stem problems, which includes:
- Introducing a post office'- style queuing system at each bar and banning people from drinking while queuing.
- Allowing people to only take up to two drinks from the bar on each visit
- Employing additional licensed door supervision staff
- Making venues provide at least seven days notice of the drinks promotion to the licensing authority and police
The council said action was being taken against all 22 town centre bars to prevent an unfair competitive advantage being gained by one bar over another.
Cllr Mark Alcock, cabinet member for environment, said: "This is positive action to address the whole issue of alcohol pricing in Oldham.
"We have decided to start this process in order to ensure that the hundreds of people who come to Oldham every weekend enjoy a pleasant and safe night out.
"This is the first time since the new licensing laws came into force five years ago that a local authority has reviewed all the licences in a town at the same time and I see it as a sensible solution to helping us ensure that all bars and clubs in the town centre are able to operate on a level playing field and do not feel forced to adopt more and more extreme pricing."
But Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations, said the plan was "over the top".
"If there is a problem with a premises then it should be reviewed and people have a chance to offer a defence. I don't think it is fair to do a blanket review," he said.
The applications for review, submitted on Monday, now enter a statutory 28-day consultation period with the traders affected and other interested parties.
At the end of that period, review hearings will be held and a decision made on whether or not to apply the revised conditions.
