The spiralling amounts of paperwork and bureaucracy surrounding the new licensing regime have prompted an investigation by the government's red tape watchdog.
The Regulatory Impact Unit at the Cabinet Office is now understood to be looking closely at how the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and local authorities around the country have been implementing the Licensing Act.
Duncan Budd, who has been recently seconded to the unit from the private sector, is arranging a series of meetings with the licensed trade to discuss the impact of the new regime.
Although the Cabinet Office has denied it is putting together a report, Mr Budd is meeting with the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) next week.
One industry insider said that he understood Mr Budd was "shocked" at the lack of understanding in the government of how the new licensing regime was impacting on licensees.
"Mr Budd is trying to flag up the poor consideration of the impact of the legislation on the pub trade.
"He wants to come up with some form of best practice for local authorities," said the source.
Coinciding with the news that judicial reviews against two councils' over-zealous implementation of the Act are to go ahead, the Cabinet Office investigation offers new hope that some of the fog surrounding the Licensing Act could be about to clear.
High Court judge Mr Justice Collins has ruled that the judicial reviews into the licensing policies of Canterbury and Gloucester councils, launched by the British Beer & Pub Association, the ALMR and the BII earlier this month, can go ahead.
Related articles:
Green light for licensing reviews (25 April 2005)