National Licensing Week 2018 highlights breadth of sector
The annual awareness week highlights the diversity of licensing from councils and police charged with regulating licensable activities, and industry practitioners working to run their businesses in accordance with licensing requirements, such as pubs.
UK licensing in numbers
609 Pubwatch schemes
210,000 premises licences
14,700 club premises certificates
646,500 personal licences
86,500 premises licences for late-night refreshment
8,300 premises with 24-hour alcohol licences
Daniel Davies, chief executive of CPL Training Group and chairman of the Institute of Licensing (IOL), said: “National Licensing Week is one of the industry’s flagship campaigns – a rare opportunity to highlight the importance of licensing in today’s society. Despite its role in everyday life, licensing often goes unnoticed. The aim of this campaign is to change this perception.”
If you are involved in licensing, be it pubs, taxis, casinos or even animal welfare, the campaign is urging everyone to take action to raise awareness about what you do.
People working in the sector could consider swapping places with someone in a different role to get a view of things from another angle. For example, celebrating your partnership whether it’s a local Pubwatch, business improvement district or Best Bar None scheme.
Hands on experience
Two legal experts from Poppleston Allen decided to do exactly this, as Jonathan Smith, partner at the law firm and Sarah Taylor, associate at the firm, headed to Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) Browns site in Nottingham to get some first hand experience. The pair served up pints, mixed cocktails and waited tables.
Taylor said: “It was a really interesting experience for us. The whole team at Browns were really helpful and without their patience, there’s no way Jonathan and I could have made the cocktails that were ordered - they’re a lot more intricate than you might think.”
Smith added: “The bit that made me nervous was serving drinks at tables. Without the advice on how to balance drinks on my tray from general manager Emmy Mills, I’m sure they would have ended up on the floor not the table! And I just don’t know how people manage serving when the bar is packed – it was hard enough on a Monday lunch time.”
He said: “I give licensing advice everyday but this sort of experience gives me a glimpse into the real life of premises.”
To get involved visit www.licensingweek.org or look for #NLW2018 on social media.
