Red tape holds sway over common sense
I have often remarked that the licensed trade has a roller-coaster affair with Government and politicians.
For some periods, everything is grand, British pubs are the envy of the world, relaxation of "antiquated laws" is praised and licensees are slapped on the back for their "responsible attitude".
The following year, binge-drinking and anti-social behaviour, glassing attacks and under-age sales turn the former heroes into villains. The blame is laid fairly and squarely on the trade, not on the youngsters, their parents or the society they come from. The Government plans a series of legal changes aimed at giving a wide range of powers to local councils and the police to "clamp down" on this evil trafficking.
The problem is that this demonisation of the licensed trade in general is beginning to have a very negative effect on the whole industry. One of the main complaints I receive from individual landlords is the amount of compliance now required, with new rules and regulations turning up at every corner. Red tape, pledged by successive governments to be under attack, has flourished in the new
climate of legislation for everything.
Personally, I have never had to read so many reports, consultations, regulations, draft statutory instruments and new criminal statutes in my whole career - just to keep abreast of the laws affecting the licensed trade.
It is hardly very surprising that Paterson's Licensing Acts has had to move into two volumes instead of one!
Does this prevailing mood breed a spirit of cooperation? If you listen to Chief Superintendent Paul Stickler in Southampton (Snifter, 17 May), you would think it does. "The sign of a good city is one that has a good relationship with its licensed trade," he said.
At the very same time, Home Secretary John Reid is proposing new powers to "close and seal" disruptive premises, some police are using revised powers to close down pubs where there is inadequate CCTV equipment and licence reviews are being used to order up to one or two months' cessation of alcohol sales, even for two instances of failed test purchases. Yet to come are litter patrols and alcohol disorder zones.
On top of this comes a strong police campaign to persuade or compel the trade as a whole to switch to polycarbonate glasses, on the grounds that "even one" glassing incident is one too many. So trudge through the cigarette ends, nod to the two SIA-licensed security guards, give a swab to the drugs checker and relish your appearance on the 10 security cameras before enjoying your plastic pint. What a prospect!
Over the past five years the licensed trade was first hypnotised into accepting a brand- new licensing regime on the back of hours flexibility, then ignored when it came to the fine print of the new legislation. Promised cooperation, it got legislation instead. Weasel words from the politicians about the benefits of self-regulation have been replaced by harsh condemnation and strict penalties. The so-called "light touch" regulation is a far cry from that - we have more forms, more fees, more training, more compliance and more interference than ever before.
For many licensees who are attempting to run good, friendly, community pubs, this is an added burden that should not be there. I am not a fan of regulation for its own sake: what we need is a proper examination of those elements that are really necessary to ensure safe and congenial surroundings - and leave it at that. Then perhaps the roller coaster will start to move in the right direction.
