Sutcliffe reveals plans to help grieving pub families

The government is planning to extend the deadline that a licence can be transferred if a premises licence holder dies, Gerry Sutcliffe has revealed.

The Licensing minister confirmed the plan today while giving evidence in Parliament to the final session of an MP-led inquiry into the effects of the Licensing Act.

Currently families have just seven days to transfer a pub's licence into someone else's name if the licence holder dies.

This anomaly was exposed in a Publican ​front page story in April when a grieving family in South Wales was banned from selling alcohol by a council after missing the deadline.

But responding to a question about the issue in front of the culture, media and sport committee, Sutcliffe said: "We are sympathetic to that and we are planning to do something about it."

The issue of below-cost selling and irresponsible promotions also arose. Sutcliffe said it was something that was being looked at and a decison was expected "shortly".

But asked to define an example of an irresponsible promotion, he pointed to pubs and bars that ran offers linked to when a goal was scored in a football match.

However, hope emerged the government will make it easier for pubs to host live music. Andrew Cunningham, a DCMS official, said it was looking at allowing live music to be added as a minor variation to an existing licence. "It will be a significant benefit to live music," he said.

Sutcliffe also admitted the Act needed to be enforced with "greater consistency".

However he refuted suggestions the legislation had led to an increase in crime and disorder. But he added: "We are not claiming everything is perfect… but I do not accept we have massive problems".

Earlier Paul Smith of night-time operator trade group Noctis, highlighted that alcohol-related violence had dropped 50 per cent in the last 10 years. "But the way things are reported in the press dissuades a lot of people wanting to go out," he said.

Asked about the relaxation of closing hours, he added: "Getting rid of 'chucking out' time has had a positive impact."

Jeremy Allen of solicitors Poppleston Allen argued the figures for financials savings under the Act were "totally and utterly wrong" and licence applications were too "rigid".