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Legal News

April 2008
For many years Scotland’s approach to liquor and public entertainment licensing seemed more modern and up to date than England and Wales. True, the system was very different. For a start, there were a lot fewer premises. A major pub owning company might have 2,000 pubs, hotels or bars in England and Wales and by contrast only a hundred in... Read more

Operational, Legal News, April 2008, COMMENTS

Legal News
March 2008
Alcohol Disorder Zones have attracted a fair amount of publicity in the licensing press and in one or two national newspapers. Nobody seems to want them and their launch date keeps slipping. Initially they were proposed for the end of December, then for the end of January, and now for the end of March... Read more

Operational, Legal News, March 2008, COMMENTS

Legal News
February 2008
On 14 December 2007 Fudge, a small cocktail bar just off Leicester Square in the West End of London, was granted an extension to its hours to sell alcohol until 12am from Monday to Wednesday, 1am on Thursday and until 2am on Friday and Saturday. This was on appeal and was opposed by Westminster City Council... Read more

Operational, Legal News, February 2008, COMMENTS

Legal News
January 2008
Some years ago I gave a talk to well over 100 senior police officers. In the course of this I asked them to be absolutely honest and raise their hands if they had not purchased alcohol in a pub, bar or discotheque prior to their 18th birthday. After picking out the odd teetotaller, it rapidly became apparent that 100% of those present... Read more

Operational, Legal News, january 2008 , COMMENTS

Legal News
December 2007
The principal problem with the Licensing Act 2003 is its inflexibility. At the time it was passed many of us predicted that this would cause obstacles, and it has. One significant difficulty has arisen over alterations to licensed premises. It is frankly nonsense that anybody who religiously follows the Act is required to make an... Read more

Operational, Legal News, december 2007, COMMENTS

Legal News
november 2007
Well, the Licensing Act 2003 has now had its birthday. It’s over 12 months since it came into force. The statistics on crime and disorder suggest that on the whole the new law has been beneficial. Certainly the dire predictions of the Daily Mail have not happened. But this has not stopped the Government legislating... Read more

Operational, Legal News, November 2007 , COMMENTS

Legal News
October 2007
One of the biggest problems faced by a licensee, nowadays, is how to deal with changes to licensed premises. The Regulations under the Licensing Act spell out very clearly what needs to be on the plans. They include showing the position of every fire extinguisher. There is an argument for saying that if you... Read more

Operational, Legal News, October 2007, COMMENTS

Legal News
September 2007
The DCMS is pulling its finger out. In May of this year I wrote about problems that arose in respect of alterations to premises. I waxed lyrical about the problems that could arise if alterations were made, approval wasn’t obtained and you subsequently sought to acquire the premises. Well, the government seems to have woken up... Read more

Operational, Legal News, september 2007, COMMENTS