The Home Office have released 2018 statistics on alcohol and late night refreshment licensing in England and Wales, showing a further small but consistent rise in the total number of licensed premises. The release also includes a short consultation [pdf] on the statistical bulletin.
As seen in recent years, a further small rise of 1,100 (1%) in the total number of licensed premises (212,800) has been recorded since last year. In addition to total premises licenses, figures also show in March 2018 there were:
- 723,800 personal licences, a 5% increase (35,600)
- 14,100 club premises certificates, a 1% decrease (200)
- 8,100 premises with 24-hour alcohol licences, a 6% increase
- 222 cumulative impact areas in place
Cumulative Impact Policies (CIPS) are available for LAs to designate 'saturation zones' in a bid to curb further premises from opening where it is deemed likely to increase problems. The latest bulletin reports 107 LAs had a total of 222 CIAs in place in 2015, suggesting just one new CIP in the last year. Previously we have highlighted issues over reported CIP data questioning its accuracy and what effect they were having in practice, although a study published last year found areas which had higher use of CIPs were associated with decreased alcohol-related crime rates in the period up of 2009 to 2013.
The Late Night Levy (LNL) began to be adopted in 2013, allowing LAs to raise a contribution from late-opening alcohol suppliers towards policing the night-time economy. Late night levies must cover the entire LA area and apply for a specified period between 12am and 6am. The latest figures show no change in the eight LAs with LNLs in place, with revenue down slightly from £1.8 to £1.7 million this year. No Early Morning restriction Orders (EMROs) have been implemented. In 2012 the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers announced a 'fighting fund' to support legal challenges against EMRO and LNL plans.
There were 8,100 premises with 24-hour alcohol licences as at 31 March 2018, a 6% increase on the previous year. The majority apply to hotel bars and supermarkets. Temporary Event Notices (TENs) authorise one-off events involving licensable activities, with 147,200 TENs in the last year; a 6% increase (8,900) compared with the previous year.
Licensing reviews: unanswered questions?
As we explored last year, seeking to understand the significant decline in licensing reviews since 2010 raises a number of questions. Reviews are an option for Local Authorities to take possible action against premises having an adverse effect on the licensing objecitves, but declining reviews may reflect a wide range of factors not limited to possible improvements in retailer practice, longer term declines in violent crime and consumption, and significant cuts to LA resources which will have seen reductions in licensing teams in many areas. Oddly, the latest bulletin reports the number of reviews 'have slightly increased this year', though gives a figure of 600; the same figure reported last year. The number of reviews in 2010 was recorded as 1,300.
An open consultation on the collection and reporting of the licensing statistics has been released by the Home Office, stating the 'consultation is being run to gather insight and seek your views on the presentation and timing of the Government Statistical Service’s Alcohol and late night refreshment licensing statistics. The consultation will seek to find specifically why you use the data, what information is used, how frequently you use the information and any concerns over quality.' See here for the consultation PDF. Responses should be sent to [email protected] by 17 January 2019.
Licensing legislation: fit for purpose?
In recent years a number of reports have questioned the suitability of the 2003 Licensing Act. Last year a Lords Committee review called for a fundamental overhaul of the Act and made serious charges such as 'scandalous misuses of the powers of elected local councillors' and the use of the Act as being 'something of a lottery'. However Jon Foster, author of the Institute of Alcohol Studies' (IAS) extensive 2016 report on the Act, argued the problems were "only half diagnosed" by the Lords review. The IAS report recommended the introduction of a health objective and an economic objective into law, restrictions on off-trade hours and for LAs to use the Act's options for enforcement in a more assertive manner. A recent Alcohol Charter calling on the forthcoming national alcohol strategy to be evidence-based has also called for a review of licensing legislation and the inclusion of a public health objective.
See here for all licensing tagged posts and here for updated section 182 guidance can be found here.
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