Better communication from local authorities would benefit pubs

Related tags Police officers La carte menu License

Art of communication: try taking the initiative to sort out issues at an early stage

I have seen two recent news items reinforcing the need for communication in the licensing world. The actor Bob Hoskins was once famous for saying, “It’s good to talk” — a piece of advice that the enforcement officers at Spelthorne Borough Council in Surrey might want to bear in mind in the future.

When they saw an advertisement for a local pub promising live music from 4am they would have been better advised to pick up the telephone and clarify with the licensee exactly what this meant.

Instead, two council officials and two police officers arrived at the pub the day before the event to discover that 4am was the name of the band and no one had the slightest intention of even being awake at that time, let alone listening to live music.

The licensee, at first speechless with fury at this rather heavy-handed attempt at partnership working soon saw the funny side – and good luck to her, particularly as it’s resulted in some free advertising (it’s the Feathers in Laleham, Surrey, by the way).

But I have to ask myself why the council officer didn’t heed Mr Hoskins’ advice and pick up the phone? What dark arts did they think were going to be practised at an unproblematic pub with a full à la carte menu at that time of the morning? A simple call could have saved four public officials a wasted trip, some rather red faces, and the tax-payer a few extra pounds.

It reminds me of that old First World War story of the front-line troops relaying a message back up the line: “Send reinforcements, we’re going to advance” finally reached the general as “Send three and four pence, we’re going to a dance”.

Things do get lost in translation – the problem with the licensing regime is that if the authorities get it wrong, it’s often too late for anyone to do anything about it.

Consider these real life examples: post received by the licensing authority is not read in time, resulting in a delayed application and a delayed opening; council officials snoop about in the early hours thinking a licensee has breached his licence when in fact he’s just having a family party; police officers arrive at midnight when the clocks go forward telling the licensees that they can’t trade during the lost hour, even though their lawyers and the licensing authority tell them the day after that they can.

All could been resolved with a timely courtesy call. Under licensing law the authorities are called responsible authorities for a reason — they should act responsibly.

And if that means picking up the phone could avert a disrupted evening for the licensee and customers alike, we are entitled to expect them to do so.

Meanwhile, recent reports show that Woking and Northampton Borough Councils have already begun thinking seriously about introducing late night levies and early morning restriction orders (EMRO) and there are more doing the same.

The general power for licensing authorities to do this is expected to come into force from October, so isn’t this the time to pick up the old dog-and-bone and speak with other local operators to show a united front?

My firm is already receiving such enquiries. If a council decides on a levy there’s only a 12-week minimum consultation period; with an EMRO, 28 days and a possible hearing — not long to marshal your troops.