Pubs face new red tape on advertising drinks measures and prices

The proposed amendments to mandatory licensing conditions state that where the products are sold or supplied for consumption on the premises, beer and cider must be available in half pints; gin, rum, vodka or whisky in 25ml or 35ml servings; and still wine in a 125ml units.

The document states that these measures must be “displayed in a menu, price list or other printed material available on the premises”, and where a customer does not specify the quantity of alcohol, he or she must be “made aware that these measures are available”.

The changes are being tabled under the Licensing Act 2003, and will be brought into force by secondary legislation. This means there will be no formal consultation, but the proposals will be debated by Parliament and, if approved, come into effect on 1 October 2014.

Under the proposed amendments, the Government has also tightened up the wording in relation to irresponsible promotions, replacing “the responsible person shall take all reasonable steps” with “the responsible person must ensure” that staff do not carry out, arrange or participate in any irresponsible promotions in relation to the premises.

Irresponsible promotions include unlimited or unspecified quantities of alcohol for free or for a fixed or discounted price “in a manner which carries a significant risk of undermining a licensing objective”; or free or discounted alcohol as a prize to encourage or reward the purchase and consumption of alcohol over a period of 24 hours or less in the same manner.