Licensing Enforcement Increasing

We are receiving more information around increased licensing enforcement activity and regulation which had, as we have previously reported, been less noticeable, and understandably so during the last couple of years and due to the Covid Pandemic

Most recently we reported about the return of test purchasing and we are noticing more reports around this area.

We have now seen a report of a different type, being a request to consider a Late Night Levy in one area. Readers may recall there is a mechanism in licensing legislation that allows Licensing Authorities to raise a levy against licensed premises operating later in the evening. Introduced in 2012 these were quite popular prior to the pandemic as a way of raising additional revenue from operators in the night time economy.

Unsurprisingly throughout the pandemic with all operators struggling we received little or no information of new Late night Levies being considered or implemented. Indeed there was much criticism of the fact that the fees still fell due even when the premises were closed and there was no mechanism within the legislation to make a refund or cancel.

News reaches us of a report in the Bracknell News that there has been a request in one council area to consider a levy. We understand the request was made by a councillor at a meeting of the licensing committee in Wokingham but appears to have been rebuffed at the current time.

We will keep you updated on similar matters and developments