Croydon Council slammed over cumulative impact zone plans for pubs and clubs

Croydon Council has launched a 12-week consultation on changes to its licen-sing policy, including proposals to introduce CIZs in 17 of its 24 wards.

Councillors believes limiting the number of licensed premises in Croydon could help cut crime and alcohol-related hospital admissions across the borough.

The new policy would work on the presumption that licence applications for new pubs and clubs, or applications to vary an existing licence, will be refused.

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has criticised the move, claiming it does nothing to address the problems that the council has identified.

“Slapping a cumulative impact policy (CIP) across wide parts of the borough is disproportionate and unhelpful,” said the ALMR’s strategic affairs director Kate Nicholls.

“Government guidance is clear — a CIP is supposed to be a weapon of last resort where an area is already saturated with licensed premises and there’s clear evidence linking alcohol-related harm or problems to the customers of premises in a specific and precisely defined area.

“If there is evidence of harm, the council should be working in partnership with the trade to incentivise investment in management standards through Best Bar None or initiatives to tackle identified problems.”

Solicitor James Anderson, of licensing law firm Poppleston Allen, added: “I’m not sure that the council really knows what the situation is on the ground, nor has it given real thought to the impact it could have on business development in Croydon. Business may go elsewhere as a result.”

Councillor Simon Hoar, Croydon’s cabinet member for community safety and public protection, said: “I can understand why this would upset the licensed trade, but this is for the benefit of residents and to bring a little bit more control to licensing.

“It is a set number of wards where we feel that for one reason or another there is a reasonable justification for us to say there should be a cumulative impact zone. Each case will be looked at on its own merits.”