Licensing Act 2003 - a Total Failure

On 10 August 2009 I watched the BBC Panorama programme concerning drink-related crime in Oldham. It soon became clear that the problem does not just affect that one town, but all places in the UK, given the terms of the UK's Licensing Act 2003.

After the Act went on to the Statute Book in 2003 some explanatory notes were published. In particular :-

In April 2000 the Government published a White Paper on reforming alcohol and entertainment licensing (Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of Our Licensing Laws; CM 4696). This White Paper set out proposals for modernising and integrating the alcohol, public entertainment, theatre, cinema, night caf, and late night refreshment house licensing schemes in England and Wales. The White Paper outlined the key aims of the proposals:

1. to reduce crime and disorder;
2. to encourage tourism;
3. to reduce alcohol misuse; and
4. to encourage self-sufficient rural communities.

Unless getting crowds of drunken people into a town or city can be classed as "encouraging tourism", the measures have failed miserably!

What is the main problem? Simply this. The granting of licences for Public Houses etc was moved from Magistrates to Local Councils. By itself that is not a problem, but allied to that is the fact that Local Councils could not object to the opening of licensed premises, on the grounds that there were already too many such places in that vicinity. Magistrates used to have that power, but Local Councils do not.

The result is that some areas have been overcrowded with pubs, clubs etc, and great problems arise keeping anything like control, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

My opinion? What needs to be done? Simply change the law to ensure that Local Councils have the power to prevent an area becoming over-saturated with pubs, clubs etc.. Also, ensure that existing powers are used to withdraw licences from places that serve people who are already drunk.

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