Get 'em in: just eight weeks to go to licence deadline

Trade groups are calling on licensees and bar operators to move immediately to get new licence applications lodged with local councils.

With the 6 August deadline now less than two months away, there is still only a trickle of applications being submitted. Trade leaders are urging licensees to act now to ensure their grandfather rights are preserved.

Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations' chief executive Tony Payne said hosts had to be made aware of what would happen if they missed the boat.

"It would also mean them losing their grandfather rights if they had to make a new application after 6 August," he said.

Bar Entertainment & Dance Association chief executive Jon Collins said smaller suburban and rural pubs appeared to be most at risk.

"The feedback I am getting is that many of the big operators have just about got the paperwork sorted for their venues,"he said. "Most urban and high street outlets appear to be nearly there; it is the smaller pubs that appear to be struggling."

Collins said it was vital that licensees engaged professional help in drawing up plans to guard against the risk of errors. "Premises plans are the big sticking point in the process and I would implore people to get help in sorting the job out."

The British Beer & Pub Association said it was continuing to give maximum publicity to the applications procedures.

Communications manager Chistine Milburn said: "Withthe Second Appointed Day beginning to loom, it is timefor licensees to give this onebig push.

"It is impossible to judgejust how many people havesuccessfully applied for newlicences as there is no tracking machinery available. But feedback from individual councils suggests the figure is still relatively low.

"All we can do is keep hammering away so licensees realise the consequences if they do not get their new licence."

l Leader column ­ p15