DCMS 'free' to talk up thriving pubs
The transfer of responsibility for licensing to the Home Office should free up the culture department to positively promote pubs, trade leaders argue.
Kate Nicholls, spokeswoman for the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), believes the move could have a "silver lining", allowing the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) to promote pubs. The DCMS itself underlined that it will still "play an important role in promoting pubs as part of the tourism brief".
Nicholls said: "The departments have very different backgrounds — the DCMS is about promoting culture, while the Home Office is all about top-down control.
"The silver lining of the move is that it should free up the DCMS to talk about pubs in a more positive sense.
"Before this it was stymied by its dual role as regulator and promoter of pubs. While the move is a threat, it is also an opportunity."
A DCMS spokeswoman said: "Pubs are a key part of England's brand, history and way of life. We want to see a thriving industry."
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) said: "We still see the DCMS as our sponsorship department in terms of pubs — we will be looking to them to be on our side."
She added she would have "much preferred licensing to stay with the DCMS".
The BBPA has already lined up meetings with the Home Office.
Home Office minister James Brokenshire said the latest move "will mean just one department is responsible for enforcement and licensing policy, allowing for a more consistent approach".
