Hosts face red-card clampdown
Government proposes opening restrictions and soccer-style card scheme to cut bingeing
The Government has ruled out significant changes to the licensing laws after publishing its long-awaited review of the new Licensing Act this week.
However, pubs face a series of clampdowns aimed at combating binge drinking and drunkenness, including a controversial yellow and red-card sanction scheme for erring licensees.
Another major proposal raises the prospect of blanket opening restrictions between 3am and 6am in problem town centres, after an increase in violent crime was reported between these hours.
The review paints a mixed picture of the impact of the new Licensing Act, introduced in November 2005.
Crime and alcohol consumption are down overall but disorder and alcohol-related violence has risen in the early hours.
Culture secretary Andy Burnham has called on councils and police to make better use of their new powers to tackle binge drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence.
The football-style card scheme will see premises issued with a yellow warning put on immediate probation together with tough sanctions. A red card, for the most serious licensing breaches, will mean revocation of the licence.
"Breach your licensing conditions and you face severe and costly restrictions on your business," Burnham warned.
The thrust of the proposed legislation outlined in the review focuses on supermarkets and off-licences,
indicating the Government sees the sale of cheap below-cost alcohol as a major
source of social drinking problems.
Stores could face strict con-
trols on the number of check-
outs able to process alcohol sales. The fact the Govern-ment was considering this was first revealed by the MA.
Shops face the prospect of an immediate licence revocation for those found
guilty of a second offence of underage sales.
The review also contains recommendations to up fines up to £2,500 for people refusing to forfeit alcohol in a designated public place.
Despite the concerns about binge drinking and alcohol-related crime, the review
indicates the Licensing Act has been a relative success. The Government points to a 1% fall in overall crime and a 10% drop in violent crime since the Act came into effect.
Fewer than 4% of premises applied to sell alcohol round the clock under the new Act, accounting for just 5,400 venues, many of which are hotels and supermarkets.
Only two pubs open 24 hours a day - while 470 on-trade outlets have 24-hour licences - and average closing times across all premises increased by only 21 minutes.
l Tories' under-age plan - p9
The main proposals
l Yellow and red card warning system for licensees
l Possible opening restrictions between 3am and 6am in some areas
l Possible supermarket alcohol till-sale restrictions
l Two strikes and out for off-licence sales to under-18s
l Increase in fines to £2,500 for people refusing to forfeit alcohol in a public place
l Increased public dispersal powers for police
l Extension in the use of young persons' "acceptable behaviour contracts"
l New research into post-midnight drinking patterns
