BBPA bids to resolve Oldham Council crackdown

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) is meeting with Oldham Council chiefs today to persuade them to abandon a plan to review every licence at its 22 town-centre venues.

Martin Rawlings, the BBPA's director of pub & leisure, will meet with council representatives in the hope of thrashing out a plan to avoid the authority forcing pubs and bars to operate post office-style bar queus, as part of strict licensing conditions to combat alcohol-related problems.

It follows a "positive" meeting earlier this week involving trade group Noctis and the council.

The issue has struck a nerve with the trade, with fears that a council reviewing all licences in a town centre will set a dangerous precedent.

Paul Smith, executive director at Noctis, which has five members in the town centre, said he was encouraged by the meeting as the council seemed "reasonably receptive" to the trade group's suggestions.

It was suggested that a Best Bar None scheme could be introduced in the town, as well as advice on best practice and a Noctis dispersal scheme.

"We are hoping to use some of our contacts and experience to bring people to Oldham to create a more positive night-time economy," Smith said.

However, if there were legal cases involving the reviews, he said he was "confident" the trade would win.

But Smith added: "The last thing we want to do is create bad feeling. Emotions are running pretty high in Oldham at the moment and there are issues that need addressing, but we are confident we can help out."