Local Authorities

What happens if you open your pub during lockdown?

29-Jan-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

With a spate of pubs hitting the headlines for breaching coronavirus restrictions, The Morning Advertiser takes a look at the potential impact on licensees if they break lockdown rules.

Pub operator chasing more than £25,000 in outstanding grant payments

17-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

A Chester-based multiple operator has told The Morning Advertiser (MA) that he is pursuing a total of £26,335 in Covid grant funding from 15 different local authorities – with one yet to process any payments at all.

Rates relief

Government list shines light on progress for pubs rates relief

20-Oct-2017 By Claire Churchard

Pubs still waiting for business rates relief can now check if their council has started distributing the money as the Government has published a progress list.

Councils' lack of action on business rates relief slammed by ALMR

16-Oct-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Not enough is being done by local authorities to ensure promised rates relief is being distributed to businesses, the Association of Multiple Licensed Retailers (ALMR) has warned.

Minister puts pressure on local authorities over rate relief

18-Sep-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Local authorities have come under pressure to provide rate relief to pubs after the parliamentary under-secretary of state for Communities and Local Government and ex-pubs minister Marcus Jones said the pace had “not been acceptable”.

DCLG urges pubs to ‘chase local authorities’ for delayed rates relief

06-Jul-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Licensees should contact their local authorities if they have not had information about the £1,000 rates relief promised by Chancellor Philip Hammond, the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has said.

Government praised for ‘positive’ rates relief push

23-Jun-2017 By Georgina Townshend

The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has issued “clear guidance” to local authorities to help speed up the business rates relief  process for pubs after industry bodies repeatedly flagged concerns about payment delays.

Confusion surrounds rates relief process leaving pubs in limbo

30-May-2017 By Liam Coleman

Pubs have been left in limbo after local authorities say they are still waiting for guidance from the Government on how to implement the £1,000 business rates discount promised in the spring Budget.

Pubs charged for food hygiene re-inspections

20-Mar-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Pubs could be made to pay for requested re-inspections of their businesses under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced.

ALMR and BBPA welcome industrial strategy proposals

24-Jan-2017 By Sara Hussein

Trade bodies have welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of the Modern Industrial Strategy green paper. 

Bed tax

Local authorities urged not to consider bed tax

12-Jan-2017 By Michelle Perrett

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has urged local authorities to avoid new tax burdens on operators.

Legislation

Queen's speech outlines new laws affecting pubs

18-May-2016 By Oli Gross

The Queen confirmed the Government’s intention to devolve powers to councils in her speech today, with local authorities' retention of business rates set to be enshrined by legislation.

Food safety

'Speedier fines' for law-breaking food businesses

26-Oct-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Law-breaking food businesses, including pubs, could expect speedier fines and prosecutions as a result of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) food law prosecution database and a strategy to improve the organisation’s digital technology.

Late night levies

Crime figures 'not impacted by LNLs'

08-Jul-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Late night levies (LNLs) have yet to have a significant impact on reducing alcohol-related crime, according to figures released by local councils.

Call for Government to further strengthen ACV planning laws

03-Feb-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

The Communities and Local Government (CLG) Committee has called on the Government to increase the moratorium on the sale of a pub listed as an asset of community value from six to nine months, after claiming that nearly half of all community bids for...

Pubs raise food hygiene standards for third-year running, FSA finds

28-Oct-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Hygiene standards in pubs and clubs have improved for the third-year running, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has found.

Alcohol-related crime has dropped 32% in past decade

01-Sep-2014 By John Harrington, M&C Report

The public and police see local partnership schemes as key to cutting rates of alcohol-related crime that have fallen significantly in recent years, new research shows.

CAMRA issues advice to councils on saving the British pub

08-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) has published a series of recommendations outlining how local councils can take action to save pubs, following new research that confirms 28 pubs are closing each week.

Rising cost of alcohol could explain drop in serious violence rates, new research reveals

23-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

Falling alcohol consumption and rising costs may have contributed to a decline in violence across England and Wales, new research has suggested.

Councillor resigns over local authority licensing bias

30-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

A Polegate councillor and ex-licensee has resigned over bias within local authorities, 10 years after the Licensing Act was passed.

Licence fees regulations are unlawful, says leading licensing barrister

27-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The regulations governing fees for premises and personal licences are unlawful — according to leading licensing barrister Philip Kolvin QC.

Pub property agents predict more planning policies to protect pubs from councils

19-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The industry could see more local authorities adopting pub protection planning policies — that’s according to pub property agents.

Pubs and bars with history of violence should use polycarbonate bottles claims MP

06-Sep-2012 By Gurjit Degun

An MP has called for legislation to do more to ensure that local authorities encourage use of polycarbonate bottles in bars where there is a history of violence.

Fewer councils considering the late-night levy but more consider early-morning restriction orders

31-Aug-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The number of local authorities considering implementing the late-night levy (LNL) has decreased while more are contemplating early-morning restriction orders (EMROs).

Licensing officers and the issue of 'discretion'

25-Jun-2012 By Jonathan Smith

As a long-time licensing practitioner I still tend to make comparisons (though increasing less so) between the ‘new’ Licensing Act and the regime prior to 2005.

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.

Tourism minister calls for local authorities to take "pragmatic" approach to granting TENs for Olympics

20-Apr-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Minister for Tourism and Heritage John Penrose MP has urged local authorities to take a “pragmatic” approach to the granting of temporary event notices (TENs) during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Greene King seals deal with council

10-Oct-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Greene King has appointed Reading Borough Council as its single point of contact for consultation with all councils on health and safety issues for its pubs.

Trade bodies in late night levy talks

07-Oct-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Pub trade bodies are meeting with Home Office officials and local authorities to discuss the implementation of the late-night levy (LNL) and early-morning restriction orders (EMROs).

No opposition to re-balancing

27-Jun-2011 By Peter Coulson

Successive governments have failed to find a competent solution to alcohol consumption at home and on the streets, writes Peter Coulson.

No late licence complaints, says court

18-Apr-2011 By Peter Coulson & Michelle Perrett

Local authorities are not able to accept late complaints from local residents on premises licences, a judgement in the Court of Appeal confirmed last...

No surprise if the SIA is axed

01-Oct-2010 By Peter Coulson

The threatened removal of the (SIA) is not surprising, but to suggest that the industry can police itself is scarcely credible, says Peter Coulson.

Queen's Speech: how it affects pubs

25-May-2010 By Ewan Turney

A ban on the sale of below cost-alcohol and giving police extra powers to deal with problem premises are on the cards.

Online licensing applications: Work harder, not smarter

22-Mar-2010 By Peter Coulson

It looked good on paper, didn't it? Online licensing applications, just like buying a CD or even car insurance, says Peter Coulson.

TENS applications to go online from January

01-Oct-2009

Pubs will be able to apply for TENS (Temporary Events Notices) entirely online from January 2010. And local authorities, rather than applicants, will...

Councils shun ADZs one year on

22-Jul-2009 By John Harrington

Powers to charge a disorder levy on pubs in hotspots have had zero take-up in the first year because councils already have enough powers, the...

End the business rates stranglehold

25-Jun-2009 By David Elliott

it's very disappointing that local authorities are adding significantly to the failure of pubs and small businesses, says Greene King Pub Partners managing director David Elliott.

Rules for resisting

27-Nov-2008 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson looks at the "requirement" that the designated premises supervisor (DPS) should give a written delegation to all staff allowing them to sell alcohol.

Keep cards for the football pitch

10-Jul-2008

I have not yet commented on the new red and yellow-card scheme for "backsliding" licensees because it seems to me to be yet another Home...

Summit meeting on problem retailers

05-Jun-2008

Police, local authorities and government ministers have met today to discuss making better use of powers designed to clamp down on people selling...

How clean is your kitchen?

01-Apr-2008

Scores on the Doors - nothing to do with Kim and Aggie and not a Generation Game-style initiative. It's serious. If you're not familiar with the...

FSA: Hygiene scores on doors to go national

13-Mar-2008

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has decided that a single nationwide scores on the doors scheme should be put in place to make food business hygiene ratings available to consumers.

English councils report almost total compliance with smoking ban

04-Aug-2007 By Eleanor Goodman

Nearly all businesses are complying with the ban, say figures from the Department of Health (DoH).The survey of local authorities found 97 per cent...

No substitute for proper legislation

05-Jul-2007 By Peter Coulson

The revised statutory Guidance for local authorities issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 last week, appears to have been one of the last acts of the outgoing minister at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), Tessa Jowell.

ADZ's slammed by trade and local authorities

04-Jul-2007

Industry leaders and local authorities have slammed Alcohol Disorder Zones (ADZ), because they would bring further decline to an area. Local...

Gov't issues revised licensing guidance

28-Jun-2007

Revised guidance for local authorities on licensing laws was published today by the DCMS.

Gambling with deadlines

21-Jun-2007 By Peter Coulson

Peter Coulson, MA legal expert, looks at the issues around gaming licences

Authorities accused of overstepping the mark over polycarbonates

12-Apr-2007

Local authorities and police are being accused of overstepping the mark in their promotion of polycarbonate glasses. The Publican has seen secret...

Licensing@aol.com

08-Mar-2007

Sign of the times Q Our pub is off the main road and I want to put up a sign at the end of the lane to direct people to the pub. The landowner is a...

LETTERs

21-Feb-2007

Taking advantage of our pub loos I read with interest how some local authorities are asking pubs to allow the general public to use their toilets...