21-Jan-2011 By Lesley Foottit
A senior councillor has argued that the late-night levy will not "effect any real change" as it has not been set high enough. At a committee...
Late-night levy won't make 'bad' licensees behave better, argues LGA
20-Jan-2011 By James Wilmore
A senior local government figure has today argued the late-night levy will not make "bad" licensees behave better as it has not been set high enough....
Restrictive covenant consultation due by summer 2011
31-Dec-2010 By Hamish Champ
The coalition government plans to launch a public consultation over the issue of restrictive covenants on pubs by the summer of next year. The...
15-Dec-2010 By Gurjit Degun
Home Office minister James Brokenshire is urging councils across the country to take note of how Newquay in Cornwall has tackled alcohol-related...
14-Dec-2010 By Ewan Turney
Large late-night clubs and bars will be forced to fork out up to £4,400 a year to help pay for policing under the new late night levy. The...
13-Dec-2010 By Ewan Turney
Communities will get the right to buy their pub and other community assets under new plans to shift power back to local communities. Groups of...
10-Dec-2010 By Paul Smith
As Paul Smith leaves his role as executive director at Noctis, he reflects on his time at the organisation and predicts the future of the industry.
07-Dec-2010 By John Harrington
Paul Smith is to leave his role as executive director of Noctis, the trade body for late-night bar and club operators, at the end of the year. The...
18-Nov-2010 By James Brokenshire
James Brokenshire offered glowing praise of pub industry schemes that target alcohol-related problems when he spoke at RDR last week.
Wetherspoons hopes to cut red tape with council link-up
16-Nov-2010 By James Wilmore
JD Wetherspoon has signed up to a "groundbreaking" partnership with a local council, designed to cut red tape for the managed chain across the UK....
The test team: keeping an eye on ID checks
28-Oct-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
Figures released on underage sales last week offered signs of encouragement for the pub trade. Test purchasing company Serve Legal revealed that so...
14-Oct-2010 By Ewan Turney
The Security Industry Authority, which regulates the licensing of door staff, is to be phased out with licensing transferred to a new regime.
Licensee survives review after one neighbour complains over noise
30-Sep-2010 By James Wilmore
A disgruntled licensee has accused his local council of "shabby" treatment over a licence review hearing sparked by noise complaints from just one...
24-Sep-2010 By Peter Coulson
The Government's position is shoot first, ask questions later, according to legal expert Peter Coulson.
15-Sep-2010 By John Harrington
Home Office minister James Brokenshire has given the clearest indication yet that councils could get powers to impose minimum pricing on alcohol...
WSTA voices concern over local below-cost bans
08-Sep-2010 By James Wilmore
A ban on below-cost sales must be applied nationally to avoid "confusion" for customers and "chaos" for businesses, the off-trade's industry body has...
07-Sep-2010 By Peter Coulson
Peter Coulson debates whether the coalition's aim to make it easier for local councillors to pass fresh bylaws on modern problems is good news.
New powers for councils could curb cheap booze sales
02-Sep-2010
Councils could introduce a bylaw stopping cheap alcohol being sold in their area - possibly through minimum pricing - under new government plans....
Labour blamed for death of 3,500 pubs
31-Aug-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
A Tory minister has called on Labour to apologise for introducing policies that led to more than 3,000 pubs closing for good. Local government...
20-Aug-2010 By John Harrington
Major plans to shake-up licensing won't be enacted until 2012 at the earliest, including plans for a new licensing objective of protecting public health.
09-Aug-2010 By Ewan Turney
The Government has ditched its £3.3m support package for community pubs and a further £1m grant for the Pub is the Hub scheme as part of its...
22-Jul-2010 By Gemma McKenna
Councillor stokes controversy by saying young people will be put at risk if there are live-music exemptions for crowds up to 200.
10-Jun-2010 By John Harrington
One of the country's wealthiest Business Improvement Districts (BID) is being launched in Victoria, London.
02-Jun-2010 By Lesley Foottit
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has released 23-step guidance to help pubs operate smoothly throughout the World Cup.
25-May-2010 By Martyn Leek, M&C Report
The pub sector can expect an increase in licence reviews during the World Cup as the police and local councils step up activity. Clare Eames, a...
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...
30-Mar-2010 By Peter Coulson
The other day I was taken to task for not being specific about what activities would constitute an "irresponsible promotion", says Peter Coulson.
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.
16-Mar-2010 By John Harrington
Councils have been urged to use £50m of new Government cash to increase rate relief for struggling small firms. The money comes from the...
Major push for bylaw to allow minimum pricing
04-Mar-2010 By James Wilmore
Health lobbyists are campaigning for a landmark bylaw that will allow councils across the North West to bring in minimum pricing. In a document,...
01-Mar-2010 By Peter Coulson
I was pleased to see Tory MP James Brokenshire picking up on my accusations about licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe, says Peter Coulson.
16-Feb-2010 By Peter Coulson
No surprise there have been only 3 examples of the minor variations procedure being used to relax live music conditions, says Coulson.
08-Feb-2010 By John Harrington
Councils should be given "total control" over setting licensing hours in their area, says a group representing local authorities in London. London...
Councils recognise pubs' plight
20-Oct-2009 By John Harrington
Councils are not pushing for higher licence fees because they recognise the strain pubs are under, says new LACORS boss.
Victory in Pubwatch court case
08-Oct-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
National Pubwatch is celebrating today after a judge ruled that pubs have an "unrestricted right" to ban amyone from their premises. The High Court...
Councils keen on PM's 24-hour powers
02-Oct-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Local government chiefs have welcomed the Prime Minister's plans to give more powers to councils to restrict opening hours at pubs. Speaking at the...
30-Sep-2009 By Ewan Turney & Gemma McKenna
Councils will be able to set a blanket curfew for pub opening hours in designated problem areas under new plans from Gordon Brown. Councillors will also be given the power to instigate a review of a licence themselves.
20-Aug-2009 By Peter Coulson
Even the best intentions can fall foul of what some people might see as Town Hall bureaucracy, says Peter Coulson.
Councils reveal full extent of opposition to code
14-Aug-2009 By James Wilmore
Councils have officially come out against the mandatory code of practice - telling the government it will hammer the "vast majority" of responsible...
11-Aug-2009 By Ewan Turney
The publicity given to the closure of pubs has sparked an upturn in interest in Pub is the Hub schemes. Pub is the Hub, which provides grants for...
28-Jul-2009 By Gerry Sutcliffe
Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe answers questions on the future of the pub trade.
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...
19-Jun-2009 By Peter Coulson
The calls for polycarbonate glasses have begun again, says Peter Coulson.
17-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
Oldham has acted above its powers in its bid to review the licences of all 22 town centre venues, says Peter Coulson.
19-Jan-2009 By Ewan Turney
Tory MP Peter Luff is to table a private members bill, which would automatically grant small businesses rate relief. Luff, well-known in the pub...
Call for automatic rate relief for small firms
19-Jan-2009
Small businesses could be granted rate relief automatically in a bid to help them survive the downturn.The Federation of Small Businesses is working...
15-Jan-2009 By John Harrington
A bid to derail Government plans that would mean higher business rates for pubs has failed. But the controversial supplementary business tax proposal...
Training staff under new code could cost drinks trade £151m
13-Jan-2009 By James Wilmore
Extra training of pub staff, as part of a mandatory code of practice, could cost the drinks trade between £37.7m and £151m in its first year,...
12-Jan-2009 By John Harrington
Conservative Party leader David Cameron is backing calls for the Government to scrap plans that could mean higher business rates for pubs. Cameron...
09-Jan-2009 By Peter Coulson
MA legal guru Peter Coulson considers the policing and crime bill.
