Licensing - Northern Ireland

Off our patch – but briefly for those with Northern Ireland interests (actual or potential)…

A new Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the NI Assembly earlier this week.  It marks the first stage in a process to amend the law in limited respects on the sale of alcohol in Northern Ireland.

The commentary on the Bill indicates that:

A shift in drinking patterns now indicates that up to 70% of alcohol is sold in supermarkets for consumption at home. This has resulted in more people drinking at home or ‘pre loading’ with cheap alcohol at home before going out for the evening. This has raised concerns about how this form of drinking contributes to alcohol-related health and social harms. Further regulation of the availability of alcohol in supermarkets and off licence premises is considered necessary to emphasise that alcohol is not an ordinary product and to ensure that customers are not encouraged to buy more alcohol than they intended.

Issues surrounding the increased financial pressures on the hospitality sector, linked to the general economic downturn, and the decline in the traditional pub trade, have been identified. Therefore, it is considered necessary to introduce measures to help make the hospitality industry become more sustainable and attractive to tourists; and to develop a more balanced relationship between responsible drinking and the economic realities of the sector, which the PSNI  (police) will be able to enforce. Other problems, in particular enforcement difficulties which arise due to the differing requirements of the separate liquor licensing and entertainment licensing regimes, also need to be addressed. The inclusion of a number of minor changes to the law to assist private member clubs’ efforts to make recreational and social activities available to their members is also considered appropriate at this stage.

The Bill can be found here: 'Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill'

Perhaps more interesting and immediately intelligible to operators is the explanatory memorandum which can be found here: 'Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill - Explanatory and Financial Memorandum'