A significant rift between police and the government has opened up over plans to allow 24-hour drinking.
Licensing law changes are due to be radically overhauled next year to allow pubs and clubs to stay open all night. But the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), spoke out yesterday against the law change in tougher terms than before.
Stakeholder Response: Association of Chief Police Officers
Chris Allison, spokesman for ACPO, said: "Our concerns come on two levels. The first is that it could result in people drinking until later and the night-time economy becoming busier.
"The second is that people are more likely to drink more. The result will be more people under the influence of alcohol or drunk and this will lead to more crime and disorder.
"While ACPO acknowledges the positive elements of the new Licensing Act... it does have considerable concerns about the extension of the hours and the move towards 24-hour opening.
"There are significant implications for the police workload. Officers will have to be diverted from other policing priorities and activities to undertake enforcement activity against those who are drunk and disorderly."
Stakeholder Response: Bar Entertainment and Dance Association
Jon Collins of BEDA said: "BEDA believes that ACPO are right to be concerned about the potential for the Licensing Act 2003 to lead to increased disturbance and disorder. The vagaries of the Act combined with the lack of clarity in the guidance means there is tremendous scope for local interpretation of the legislation.
"The government's confident assertion that generally longer hours will automatically lead to fewer public order problems has no research support and has been questioned by police forces, councils and the licensed trade. Councils that take an overly simplistic approach to the Act and fail to take account of policing plans, late night transport services and the experiences of operators will see an increase in problems. Where there is a genuine partnership approach and any liberalization is balanced by use of the more regulatory aspects of the Act (capacity conditions, cumulative effect) then we will see a fall in disorder.
"In BEDA's view, the Act should be used to reward responsible operators (longer hours, fewer conditions), improve poor operators (guidance, conditions) and remove rogue operators (suspend or revoke the licence)."
Stakeholder Response: Alcohol Concern
Geethika Jayatilika, director of policy and public affairs at Alcohol Concern, said: "The aims behind the Licensing Act are very worthy - reducing crime and disorder, tackling the binge drinking culture - but at its heart the Licensing Act is a de-regulatory act. The recent experience in Ireland shows that given the prevailing drinking culture in the UK these changes are more likely to increase crime and disorder rather than curb it - thus burdening already struggling emergency services.
"It is entirely appropriate for local licensing decisions to be transferred from magistrates to local authorities as they have a duty to prevent crime and disorder in their areas. However, the provisions of the Act and the accompanying government guidance severely hamper their ability to manage the night-time economy. Under the new Act it is very difficult for local authorities to make objections to a license application and few authorities can match the legal might of drinks companies in the courts when it comes to defending licensing decisions.
"The national alcohol strategy for England outlines a specific role for the drinks industry in preventing alcohol-related disorder. However, the recent summer crackdown shows that the drinks industry has yet to get its house in order - in an intelligence-led sting operation on premises believed to selling alcohol to underage drinkers, 52 per cent of pubs and bars were found to sell to under 18-year-olds as were 32 per cent of off licences. Not to mention the numerous licensees that are irresponsibly selling alcohol to obviously intoxicated customers - to judge by the 6,000 arrests and 4,000 on- the-spot penalties that police officers made for alcohol-related offences.
"The Licensing Act was drawn up prior to national alcohol strategy and so the government needs to re-consider the impact that the new licensing provisions will have on their commitment to tackling alcohol related crime and disorder and to reducing health harms caused by excess drinking."
