Latest News

23 Jan 2015

Food Safety - Pub Operator fined £1.5million for food poisoning death

Mitchells & Butlers has been found guilty of placing unsafe food on the market following the death of Della Callagher, 46, who died of food poisoning two days after eating a four-course Christmas meal at the Railway Hotel, Hornchurch in Decemb...

22 Jan 2015

Super Strength and Competition Law - The Latest

We periodically hear of council led initiatives for licensees not to sell so called "super strength" alcohol. In practice this tends to relate to off licences and to mean beers or similar with an ABV over 5% or thereabouts. Additionally, local pre...

20 Jan 2015

British Summer Time starts 29 Mar 2015 - early warning

An early reminder that British Summer Time (or Daylight Saving Time as it now appears to be called - perhaps a commentary on our weather!) starts at 1.00am Sunday 29 March 2015 when 1.00am immediately becomes 2.00am. You are at possible risk of lo...

19 Jan 2015

Retail of Alcohol Standards Group - published guidance

The Retail of Alcohol Standards Group recently published its guidance on the responsible retailing of alcohol in England and Wales. By way of background, RASG developed the Challenge 25 age verification scheme and created Community Alcohol Partne...

15 Jan 2015

'Hemmings' Case - Supreme Court Judgment awaited

On Tuesday (13th January 2015) the Supreme Court heard Westminster City Council's appeal in the matter of R (on the application of Hemming (t/a Simply Pleasure Ltd) and others) v Westminster City Council. Lord Neuberger and his colleagues Lord Ma...

15 Jan 2015

Planning - New Houses Near Old Pubs

With the redevelopment of brownfield sites to residential accommodation, there is an increasing trend for new residential accommodation to be built near to established pubs and bars. This particularly arises where there is regeneration of city an...