28-Jul-2010 By MA news team
The trade has expressed fears over the size of any proposed hike in licence costs and being the target once again of Government action. Home...
27-Jul-2010 By John Harrington
Doorstaff licences are being revoked or suspended at an increasing rate, according to figures from the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
26-Jul-2010 By Peter Coulson
Politicians becoming directly involved in the licensing process does nothing to address the underlying issue of the binge culture, says Peter Coulson.
Fall in Scottish licence numbers
26-Jul-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
One in seven licences have not been renewed since new laws were introduced in Scotland last year. According to analysis by the Scottish Beer &...
23-Jul-2010 By Ewan Turney
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...
22-Jul-2010 By John Harrington
A council's attempt to encourage pubs to recognise military ID faces problems — because many venues aren't technically allowed to accept them....
22-Jul-2010 By John Harrington
Oldham Council is "encouraging" pubs, clubs and shops to operate the Challenge 25 age-check policy. Operators are being asked to display notices...
Last-minute TENs plan dropped
21-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore
Plans to allow pubs to get a last-minute temporary event notice (TEN) for "low-risk" activities appear to have been scrapped. The previous...
19-Jul-2010 By Peter Coulson
During our research into online applications we've noticed the inconsistency of approach of licensing authorities, says Peter Coulson.
Licensing 'overhaul' and below-cost ban to be law by November 2011
14-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore
New laws to "overhaul" the licensing regime and ban below-cost selling of alcohol should be in place by November 2011, a Home Office document has...
12-Jul-2010 By Peter Coulson
Peter Coulson clears up the grey area over live-in benefits for licensees living above their pub.
New charity website offers licensees support
09-Jul-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
Licensees who have fallen on hard times can now access help online thanks to a new charity website. The Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) has launched...
Midlands police chief calls for new licence clampdown
07-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore
A police chief has called for a temporary clampdown on new licences in a Midlands city - and said the ban should be extended if it's decided there...
06-Jul-2010 By Gemma McKenna
Derby's police chief has backed calls for a temporary ban on new alcohol licences in the city centre. Chief superintendent Andy Hough told the...
Off-trade 'likely' to face late-night licence fee
06-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore
Councils are expected to be given the power to charge supermarkets and off licences an extra levy for late-night alcohol licences, as well as the...
Trade groups unite over licensing 'overhaul' threat
05-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore
All the major trade groups have united over a joint submission to government which sets out the industry's response to a planned "overhaul" of the...
Minister warns licensing overhaul remains a 'priority'
02-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore
A Home Office minister has praised Best Bar None (BBN) as an example of the "Big Society" in practice - but warned a "re-balancing" of the Licensing...
24-Jun-2010 By John Harrington
Six out of 10 small music venues on a specific tariff from PRS for Music would see fees drop under new plans. So says the music licensing body,...
23-Jun-2010 By John Harrington
Manchester licensees have slammed the "contradictory" messages from different authorities in the city about which drinks promotions are legal. The...
22-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson
In my time working with the licensed trade, I have never known it to be under so much pressure to comply with rules and regulations, says Peter Coulson.
21-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson
I read recently about a pub polling station, but there are strange prohibitions concerning the use of pubs for official business, says Peter Coulson.
18-Jun-2010 By John Harrington
Licensees have made a "voluntary agreement" not to sell drinks below £1.50. Eleven bars made the agreement following a spate of violence.
17-Jun-2010 By Ewan Turney
The BII should set up a separate arm to act as a national representative body for tenants, one senior trade consultant has argued. Speaking at the...
15-Jun-2010 By Gemma McKenna
An independent red tape watchdog has slated the Scottish Licensing Act for causing an unwelcome regulatory burden to pubs north of the border. The...
Wetherspoons fined for licensing breach
15-Jun-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
Managed pub giant JD Wetherspoon has been fined for breaching licensing laws at a pub in North London. At court yesterday magistrates fined the...
14-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson
Brand substitution has been around for a long time and needs to be actively discouraged, for a number of reasons, says Peter Coulson.
09-Jun-2010 By Ewan Turney
West Midlands Police are threatening to take action against any pub that does not sign a draconian World Cup contract dictating that drinks must be...
09-Jun-2010 By John Harrington
Music licensing body PPL is to add a 50% late payment surcharge for pubs during 2010, following a surge in delayed payments.
08-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson
Peter Coulson explains that the pub or club is liable for their doormen's actions, regardless of any contract with the agency.
04-Jun-2010 By Ewan Turney
It is now time for pubs to reclaim up to £10m in refunds for over payments on music licences. Earlier this year, the Phonographic Performance Ltd...
Cops hire 'drunk' actors in pubs sting
03-Jun-2010
Licensees have raised questions over the police's attitude towards them after a sting operation which used "drunk" actors to catch out staff....
02-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson
Peter Coulson explains the ins and outs of delegation by the designated premises supervisor under the current law.
01-Jun-2010 By Peter Coulson
Peter Coulson asks whether the proposed review of the Licensing Act is actually a complete revamp.
The Licensing Act: All change please
28-May-2010
At the time of writing the new government has just published the document The Coalition: our programme for government. Spanning approximately 30...
28-May-2010 By John Harrington
Police are asking Colchester licensees to suspend drink sales for a period during World Cup games to let punters "cool down". An email from police...
27-May-2010 By John Harrington
The AMLR is backing a united lobbying effort to ensure there's no "wriggle room" for supermarkets in the crackdown on cheap alcohol deals.
25-May-2010 By Peter Coulson
There is no offence of permitting drunkenness, but there is of allowing disorderly conduct in a pub, so call the police, says Peter Coulson.
25-May-2010 By Lesley Foottit
A Devon pub has been closed for a month over the World Cup following complaints about anti-social behaviour. Torbay councillors ruled the George Inn...
A shift in focus
17-May-2010 By Hamish Champ
Ask any operator for a 'shopping list' of what is necessary to run a good pub and having well-trained, qualified staff is bound to feature. But...
17-May-2010 By Peter Coulson
Lincoln police are forcing pubs to stop selling alcohol "on the spot" until alleged breaches of their licences are corrected, says Peter Coulson.
14-May-2010 By Gemma McKenna
The online licensing application system promised to cut red tape is still unworkable — one firm has slammed it as a "waste of time". In March the...
13-May-2010 By The PMA Team
As one of the judges for the BII Licensee of the Year awards, The PMA Team reveals the secret that led Richard and Loren Pope to win the title.
11-May-2010 By Peter Coulson
There is a notable reluctance among licensing officers to make concessions under the new minor variations procedure, says Peter Coulson.
04-May-2010 By Peter Coulson
Local authorities in Colchester have turned Home Office anti-promotion material into a set of rules, says Peter Coulson.
30-Apr-2010 By John Harrington
MPs have clashed over the Government's record on promoting live music during a radio debate. Labour's Margaret Hodge, the Conservative's John...
29-Apr-2010 By John Harrington
The mandatory code has ushered in new powers to curb drinks deals in pubs but confusion reigns supreme, says John Harrington.
27-Apr-2010 By Peter Coulson
It was interesting, but not new, to hear of the national ban on a woman drinker under the new Drinking Banning Orders legislation, says Peter Coulson.
26-Apr-2010 By Peter Coulson
Few people even in the trade understand the double-edged sword of the new legislation on test purchasing, says Peter Coulson.
Roy Beers: The Scottish Licensing Act should keep lawyers in work for the foreseeable future
20-Apr-2010
As professional loophole-spotters they could be seen as people with a major concern in identifying any ambiguities or problematic turns of phrase...
13-Apr-2010 By Lesley Foottit
Chelmsford Licensed Victuallers Association (LVA) last week met with Conservative MP Simon Burns to discuss mounting pressures in the trade.
