It's too late to complain; get your applications in

I find the level of debate about the new licensing laws and the current implementation of it to be remarkable.

As fairly new licensees, my wife and I have known for many months that work would need to be done, and although not yet approved, our application for a new premises licence has been with the local authority for several weeks. Our personal licences were issued within days of sending in the form.

I agree that the forms are difficult and bureaucratic. I agree the drawing of plans is hard. I agree it all takes time. But the time to complain was before Parliament passed the Act; now is too late. Now is the time to get on with the application.

If you cannot fill in the form, ask a lawyer now, not in six months' when you still cannot fill it in ­ that is what we did. If you cannot draw a plan, get in a surveyor at once ­ you will still not be able to do it yourselves in six months'; again that is what we did. Yes, it costs money, but it will also cost money in six months', even more if you have lost your licence.

The Morning Advertiser would be better giving detailed advice on how to fill in the form, section by section, rather than trying to change the dates. Government has said it has enough to do without further new legislation changing the date.

Local authorities, like Westminster, would be better contacting, encouraging and helping licensees to fill in the forms, rather than lobbying Parliament.

The benefits of the new law are great to many licensees, so why are people sticking their heads in the sand rather than sorting out an urgent business requirement?

I for one will be lobbying my MP to ensure that the dates are not moved back. If others cannot sort themselves out then let them close down ­ after all there has been plenty of time to sort it out and it must surely be the most pressing and urgent business priority for all licensees this year.

Giles Finch

Crown Inn

Shap

Cumbria

CA10 3NL

Keep all sides happy with start-date amendment

I write following the recent comments regarding the possibility that the second appointed date may be moved, and the resultant cost implications to those of us that have, or are about to, submit their applications.

Surely there could be an amendment to keep all sides happy, simply by stating that once an application has been granted and the fees paid, the first 12 months will start on the second appointed date, not on the date the licence was granted. This may encourage those who are delaying purely because of the cost implications. Also, all renewal fees will fall due at the same time, allowing councils to budget both their time and finances more effectively.

Ian Fox

Royal Oak

17 Castlegate

Newark

Notts

A simple solution would be a third appointed day

It would be grossly unfair on those of us who have got their act together and submitted their premises licence applications for the second appointed day, 7 November, to be deferred. I have applied for a variation in licensing hours, which, hopefully, will lead to substantially-increased revenues, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

A simple solution would surely be to introduce a third appointed day for the benefit of those licensees and local authorities who are unable to meet the first deadline. Where new licence applications have been granted they should commence, as planned, from 7 November. Where licences have not been issued then licensees would remain under the jurisdiction of the licensing magistrates until the third appointed day.

Am I being too simplistic?

Sean Hall-Smith

Managing Director

Sabretooth Vintners Ltd

The Belle Vue

1 Clapham Common

South Side

SW4 7AA

Does the DCMS really want the British pub?

Letter to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (with copies to Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and MP Martyn Jones):

Once again I feel I have to write to you on behalf of the Wrexham & District Licensed Victuallers Association. Labour is in power again, and like Gordon Brown said, small businesses are the backbone of the country. So why can't you help the people who you say you are helping?

Red tape is now supposed to be cut. We are nothing but self-employed people trying to make a living as mine hosts. We are paid to run our business, but don't forget we are also volunteer VAT collectors, Inland Revenue collectors and much more besides.

We do our accounts then pay an accountant £1,800 to prove we are doing them right. Our rates and community council taxes have risen £2,030 per annum, beer prices are up from the brewery and the Budget, and Sky subscription costs have risen the last two years 400% at a time and will probably increase again this year.

Under the new licensing law, we now have to fill in 34 pages for the new licence. It used to cost £10 per year from the magistrates, now from the council it's costing us £340 per annum. I have been a licensee for more than 20 years and only ever filled in two forms. Now we have to duplicate the forms seven times for seven departments. We also have to copy seven plans of the pub. If you don't have a set of plans you have to pay £300 to £400 to have them done. Licensed premises already have a set of plans lodged with the council. In order to receive their A3 premises licences, all plans have to be submitted. Therefore planning department already have these on their files.

It would be easier for licensing to remain with the magistrates, as our association has never had so many problems. But I feel it is simply another way of making money out of small businesses.

Phonographic Performance Limited has increased its fee by 500% and now the Welsh Assembly wants to stop smoking in pubs. I agree with this where food is being sold, but I feel we should still have a designated smoke room.

I'm sorry this seems to be quite negative. But do you really want the British Pub?

FA Hayes MBII

The Buck House Hotel

Bangor on Dee

Wrexham

LL13 0BU