Pub hosts shouldn't fear NI licence reform plans

Northern Ireland licensees have nothing to fear from the planned crackdown on "irresponsible" drinks deals, which is likely to come in next spring.

That's according to Colin Neill, chief executive of trade body Pubs of Ulster, who said such promotions are rare in the province.

But he urged the Northern Ireland Assembly to push ahead with its plans for minimum pricing to tackle supermarket deals.

Proposals will be released in the coming weeks banning deals such as buy-one-get-one-free, women drink free, and all-inclusives, said social development minister Alex Attwood.

The proposals are likely to mirror the ban on irresponsible promotions under the mandatory alcohol retailing code in England and Wales.

Attwood said: "The irresponsible sale of alcohol can create many health and social problems in our community.

"It is imperative that we get new laws introduced to tackle this problem."

Neill said: "We don't believe there's anything to fear from it because there are very few pubs in Northern Ireland that run these sort of promotions."

More restrictive planning laws mean fewer bars on high streets than in England and Wales, he said, and less competition has meant fewer drinks promotions.

For example, just two venues, both in Belfast, are known to run all-inclusive promotions in the province.

But Neill added: "What we don't want to see is lip service legislation that will have no impact."

The plans, already endorsed by the Northern Ireland Executive, will be "piggy-backed" onto a new Justice Bill, to go through the Northern Ireland Assembly this autumn.

A consultation is also planned.

Neill said the Parliamentary timetable, with elections next May, means the measures will either be enacted in Spring 2011, carried through to the next term or dropped.

Minimum pricing​

The Northern Ireland Executive also plans to introduce minimum pricing and ban below-cost alcohol sales in the future.

Attwood said: "I want to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol in clubs, pubs and supermarkets but also, on a larger scale, I want to target those retailers who sell alcohol below cost price to encourage higher footfall."

Neill said: "We have lobbied hard for minimum pricing as we believe it's a necessity. It's not about pricing people back to the pub — it's about putting responsibility back on the retailers of the products."