MPs' licensing report is 'missed opportunity'

The MPs' report into the Licensing Act is a "missed opportunity" to put pressure on the Government to make it work better for pubs.

That's according to the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), which welcomed recommendations in the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's report into the Licensing Act but said it could have gone further to address other areas.

The report, released today, called for a reintroduction of the two-in-a-bar rule for live music and for no extra licence to be needed for staging music at venues with a capacity under 200.

Other recommendations include extending the period for licence transfer following the death of a licence holder from seven days to 21 and increasing the number of temporary events notices allowed per year from 12 to 15.

ALMR head of communications Kate Nicholls said the report is "good in parts, it could be better, but it's helpful to keep the Government on track".

She added: "There are some missed opportunities. It could have gone further and been tougher to hold Government to account to make licensing work more effectively."

She said recommendations from the two-year old Elton Review had not been addressed, such as having electronic application forms and reducing the advertising burden for new licences.

"There are, however, very helpful points in the report and we hope the Government takes them forward, especially around live music."

As secretary of the Westminster Licensees Association, Nicholls welcomed the report's criticism of Form 696, where the Metropolitan Police ask licensees to provide detailed information every time a live music event or other entertainment is staged.