Licensing Act consultation to last six weeks

The trade will have just six weeks to convince Government that no further changes are required to the Licensing Act.

The Home Office is to hold a series of five regional workshop events around the country to consult on its proposed changes to the Licensing Act — but the consultation period has been truncated to six weeks.

The regional events will take place in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Blackpool and Birmingham in a similar fashion to discussions over the mandatory code.

Home Secretary Theresa May has promised a "complete review" of the licensing regime, including proposals to give councils controversial powers to impose a late night levy on venues and set a terminal hour for trading. But there will also be details of proposed action to halt below cost sales in supermarkets.

The consultation document is understood to be launching next week and will run for six weeks. "The truncated nature of the consultation is due to the Government's wish to take these measures forward through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill which is due to be introduced in October," a Home Office spokesman said.

Legislation would be carried through via the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, expected to be passed in November 2011.

24-hour drinking​

Yesterday, the Daily Mail​ hailed the consultation as the "end of 24-hour drinking". Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers chief executive Nick Bish said: "I am appalled by the Daily Mail. They are trying to take ownership of a consultation document and assuming it will all be passed through.

Of course, we all know that the majority of places that have 24-hour licences are the supermarkets."

Despite the short consultation period, Bish said he was optimistic the trade could make its points well. He referred back to the workshops and consultation on the mandatory code, which led to a number of conditions being dropped including mandatory staff training and a compulsory Challenge-21 policy.

"If the Government wants jobs — we can do that. An average pub employs around 10 people. If the Government wants to collect taxes — we can do that too. If our pubs are making profit then we pay more than our fair share. But to make that profit, we need to be left alone.

"The Government has to make its mind up — does it want to follow a Daily Mail agenda or back the industry and reap the associated benefits.

"We have to approach the consultation in a positive fashion."