Health & safety

Trade condemns Newcastle's late-night levy approval

03-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Newcastle City Council’s decision to introduce a late-night levy has provoked fears that it will give other councils the green light and force small operators out of business.

Newcastle council first to approve late-night levy

27-Jun-2013 By Rob Willock

Newcastle City Council is the first local authority in England and Wales to approve proposals for a Late Night levy.

Milton Keynes defers late-night levy

27-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Milton Keynes Council has deferred making a decision over whether to introduce a late-night levy.

Norwich Council confirms EMRO consultation

26-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Norwich Council has approved plans to begin consultation on a proposed Early Morning Restriction Order (EMRO).

Newcastle council to discuss late-night levy plans

20-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Newcastle Council cabinet members are set to meet next week to discuss whether to introduce a late-night levy (LNL)for pubs in the city.

Northampton Council rejects EMRO due to fear of job losses

20-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Northampton Borough Council has rejected plans to introduce an early morning restriction order (EMRO) in the town centre due to the financial impact on licensees and potential job losses.

E-cigarettes to be classified as 'medicines' to help smokers quit

13-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

E-cigarettes are to be reclassified as “medicines” in a move to make them safer and more effective in reducing the harm caused by smoking.

Cheltenham latest council to consult on late-night levy

22-May-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Cheltenham has become the latest council to agree on a late-night levy consultation after a motion was passed by cabinet members last night.

EMRO and LNL: Map of latest council consultations

22-May-2013 By Mike Berry

Councils across the country are weighing up their options when it comes to introducing early-morning restriction orders (EMROs) and a late-night levy (LNL).

Bristol City Council to consider EMRO and late-night levy

17-May-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs in Bristol are the latest in a string of areas to be threatened with restrictions for opening hours.

Blackpool pubwatch: EMRO will lead to breakdown of relationship between trade and authorities

17-May-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Blackpool’s pubwatch chair has said that restricting pub opening hours in the city could lead to a break down in the relationship between the trade, police and council.

Blackpool council confirms EMRO consultation

16-May-2013 By Mark Wingett

Blackpool Council has confirmed that it is to begin a consultation on proposals to implement an Early Morning Restriction Order (EMRO).

Hartlepool Borough Council rejects EMRO

07-May-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Hartlepool Borough Council has rejected plans to introduce an early morning restriction order (EMRO) in the town centre.

Pressure group Common Sense Alliance launches campaign against late-night levy

23-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

A pressure group featuring high-profile figures from the worlds of policing, media, business and the licensed trade in particular has launched a campaign against the late-night levy.

Licensing firm urges publicans to respond to EMRO or late-night levy consultations

22-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees and pub companies must respond to any consultations that their local authority introduces on restricting pub hours before it’s too late - that’s the advice from licensing law firm John Gaunt & Partners.

Majority of local authorities shun EMROs and late-night levies

12-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

More than three quarters of local authorities have ruled out introducing either an early morning restriction order (EMRO) or a late night levy (LNL) in the near future, while just 1% say they plan to introduce either measure, according to a survey of...

The Alcohol Health Alliance supports minimum unit price of 50p

01-Mar-2013

The Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), an alliance of 70 medical bodies, has reiterated calls for the Government to taker tougher action on alcohol, including setting a minimum unit price of 50p, up from the David Cameron’s current plan of 45p.

Late-night levy: lawyers warn pubs over change of trading hours

20-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees who opt to apply for fewer trading hours when a late-night levy is introduced in their area should make sure that the change is only in place while the levy is in force.

Government launches consultation on proposals which align pubs with 'crack houses'

03-Jan-2013 By Adam Pescod

Licensees have the chance to respond to a consultation on the Government’s new anti-social behaviour proposals which include a power to close pubs for up to 48 hours following public disorder incidents.

Newcastle City Council risks legal challenge over minimum pricing licence conditions

19-Dec-2012 By John Harrington

Newcastle City Council has been warned it could be breaching competition law by applying licence conditions on two bars that set a minimum price of £1.25p per unit on the sale of alcohol.

British Gas warns small businesses over gas safety requirements

30-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Over half a million small businesses in Britain are at risk because they are unaware of their legal requirements to carry out gas safety checks, according to new research from British Gas.

Duke of York pub wins Westminster council licence review hearing

23-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Westminster City Council insisted it was right to review the licence of the Duke of York in Fitzrovia, despite footing the bill for the review as the pub emerged victorious from the hearing.

Local councils cool their interest in late-night levy

22-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Two local councils have pulled back from plans to introduce a late-night levy (LNL) despite expressing an interest in the controversial measure earlier this year.

Late-night levy: Lib Dem MP John Thurso raises concerns about how money could be spent

12-Nov-2012

A Lib Dem MP, who is a former Lord, has raised concerns over how the money raised by a late-night levy could be used.

BHA accuses Government of backtracking over hotel bars EMRO exemption

09-Nov-2012 By John Harrington

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has accused the Government of backtracking on plans to exempt hotel bars from being subject to Early Morning Restriction Orders (EMROs).

Late-night levy: "No guarantee that money will be spent where it is raised"

08-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

Money raised by local councils through the late-night levy could end up being spent in other council districts, according to the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM).

Late-night levy and early morning restriction orders come into force

31-Oct-2012

The regulations allowing the implentation of the late-night levy and early morning restriction orders (EMROs) have come into force today (31 October) which the Government claims will help pay the nation’s estimated £11bn a year bill for alcohol-related...

Women 1st to hold health, wealth and networking event in November

29-Oct-2012

Women 1st, the initiative to increase the representation of women in the industry, is holding a health, wealth and networking event on 13 November.

Jeremy Hunt becomes health secretary while rumours circulate over community pubs minister role

04-Sep-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Former culture secretary Jeremy Hunt is to take over the top job as health secretary while rumours are circulating that Community Pubs Minister Bob Neill is to return to the backbenches.

Islington Council outlines plans to introduce late-night levy

20-Aug-2012 By Adam Pescod

Islington Council has outlined plans to introduce the late-night levy when it becomes available to local authorities next year.

Alcohol industry must do more to act responsibly says Health Committee Report

19-Jul-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The alcohol industry must do more to reduce alcohol harm or it “risks being seen as paying only lip service”, a group of MPs has said in a report released today.

Late-night levy will cost pubs up to £4,400 per year

10-Jul-2012 By Adam Pescod

Pubs will have to pay up to £4,400 per year towards the late-night levy, as confirmed by the draft regulations on the measure published by the Government.

Westminster City Council charges over £1,000 for advice on licence applications

05-Jul-2012 By Adam Pescod

Westminster City Council has been slated as “short-sighted” for introducing fees rising to more than £1,000 for advice on licence applications.

Village pubs to be exempt from late-night levy

04-Jul-2012 By Adam Pescod

Pubs in a village of fewer than 3,000 people will be exempt from paying the late-night levy, the Government has announced today.

Newcastle police deny TENs ban

29-Jun-2012

Police in Newcastle-upon-Tyne have denied reports that a blanket ban on temporary event notices (TENs) has been imposed on pubs and clubs in the city.

Alcohol producers on track to meet health information pledge under Responsibility Deal

28-Jun-2012 By Adam Pescod

Alcohol producers are on track to deliver their pledge to provide health information on 80% of alcohol labels on UK shelves by the end of December 2013, according to the Portman Group.

Health minister Anne Milton defends alcohol minimum pricing plans

13-Jun-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The Government has defended claims that introducing an alcohol minimum price of 40p per unit is a "using a sledge hammer to crack a nut", saying that evidence shows that alcohol consumption is price sensitive.

Chesterfield Borough Council could introduce early morning restriction order

08-Jun-2012

Chesterfield Borough Council could introduce an early morning restriction order (EMRO) between 3am and 6am after telling the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) it was “sympathetic” towards the idea.

Gov't should enforce pubs to offer tap water, hears Health Committee

25-May-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The Government should enforce more licensed premises to offer tap water – that’s the view of a regulation and enforcement director at Birmingham City Council.

Alcohol Minimum Pricing Bill gets passed by the Scottish Parliament

24-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The Scottish Parliament has passed the Alcohol Minimum Pricing Bill making way for its preferred minimum price of 50p per unit.

Pub landlords warned councils could change mind on early morning restriction orders

24-May-2012 By Adam Pescod

Licensees have been warned that local authorities could change their mind on early morning restriction orders (EMROs), despite recent surveys suggesting there is little appetite for their introduction.

Woking council withdraws late-night levy consultation

18-May-2012 By Gurjit Degun

A Surrey council that issued a consultation on the controversial late-night levy (LNL) has withdrawn the document.

ALMR urges rethink on late night levy and EMROs legislation

18-Apr-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has urged the Government to reconsider the implementation of legislation which introduces the late-night levy and early morning restriction orders.

Landlords warned over possibility of licence inspections by police community support officers

12-Apr-2012

Licensees have been told to be on alert for more licence inspections at their pubs if a proposal in the Government’s recently published Alcohol Strategy becomes law.

Woking Borough Council accused of 'jumping the gun' with late-night levy consultation

12-Apr-2012 By Adam Pescod

A council in Surrey, which issued its own consultation on the controversial late-night levy (LNL), has come under fire for potentially “acting outside the law”.

Council leaders call for more powers over Late Night Levy

10-Apr-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called on the Government to ensure that the Late Night Levy for clubs and bars adequately compensates councils for keeping nightlife hotspots clean and safe.

Police could spend levy on ‘paper clips’

22-Mar-2012 By Adam Pescod

Police forces could reap the rewards of the cash raised by the late-night levy (LNL), but choose not to spend it on policing the late-night economy, a leading licensing lawyer warned last week.

Health lobby urges action on alcohol

20-Feb-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

A group of high-profile health campaigners has urged the Government to implement tough new regulations on alcohol, including minimum pricing, ahead of publication of the new Alcohol Strategy.