Concerns raised over City of London 'traffic light' system for problem premises

The City of London Corporation – the municipal body for the Square Mile – is introducing a ‘traffic light system’ along with a code of good practice for licensed premises this April. The ‘traffic light risk assessment scheme’  is designed to produce a monitoring tool which flags up problem premises at an early stage.

The system will be based on a points classification where penalty points will be marked against premises for each relevant incident that occurs there.

Premises will fall into a green, amber or red zone based on their total penalty points at a given time.

Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers strategic affairs director Kate Nicholls said: “We support any measures which seek to promote a collaborative dialogue between operators and their licensing authorities and indeed are working at a national level with the Institute of Licensing to develop guidance in this area.

“But care must be taken to ensure that this does not become a set of blanket conditions or obligations which are imposed on all operators. Operating schedules and requirements should continue to be tailored on a case by case basis – none of these should be applied unless there is a clear risk, they are necessary and proportionate.”

“What is clear from some of the discussions our members have had with the Corporation is that there are a small number of outlets which are causing concerns and that this is fuelling calls for an EMRO or blanket restrictions which would hit even those meeting these best practice standards.

"What this toolkit should be used for is to raise the standards of the irresponsible operators to those of the best. The licensing authority should put all calls for an EMRO on ice until this has happened.”

British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: “I am cautious of any scheme that might have the effect of introducing obligations that would be over and above the extensive legislation already in place to target problem premises.

“We support an evidence based approach to enforcement on a case-by-case basis, and it is doubtful whether a blanket ‘traffic light’ scheme for all premises is appropriate – especially when it is unclear how such a ‘penalty point’ system, outside of current licensing legislation,  would work in practice.”