UK Minister backs licensing law change to ‘boost’ pubs and bars

A UK minister has backed licensing law changes which could make it easier for pubs to open during major sports or royal events.

Dame Diana Johnson said it was “sadly not possible” for the Government to ease opening time restrictions when England faced Spain in the Fifa Women’s World Cup final almost two years ago.

But MPs including Dame Diana backed the Licensing Hours Extension Bill at its second reading on Friday, and it will undergo further scrutiny at a later date.

Labour MP Andrew Ranger, who brought forward the private member’s bill, told the Commons that the Bill could provide “a boost to the hospitality sector”.

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Proposals

Under the current system, Parliament must approve Government orders to relax licensing hours on specified dates and times.The proposed legislation would simplify the process in Westminster, so the Government can lay orders during the parliamentary recess.Dame Diana, the policing minister, vowed to support the Bill’s progress through the Commons and added: “There has been a high degree of consensus on this measure and I can say right from the outset that this Government supports the Bill and will do what we can to facilitate its passage both in this House and the (House of Lords).”

She said: “With the current arrangements it means that fast-paced extensions are simply not always possible, which is problematic in the context of sporting events, where the participation of national teams in the later stages of competitions is uncertain until the last moment.”

The 2023 Women’s World Cup final, held in Sydney, Australia, kicked off at 11am UK time on a Sunday during August.

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Concerns

Former levelling up secretary Michael Gove urged councils at the time “to do everything they can to help pubs get open earlier”, because the Government would have had to recall MPs to Parliament to approve the blanket licensing change.Dame Diana told MPs there had been “no major increases in crime and disorder” during past extensions, but she warned: “The police have previously expressed some concerns about licensing extensions relating to sporting events, namely football.“It’s therefore of the utmost importance that the police have the opportunity to put forward their views and we would always give due weight to any concerns raised before pressing ahead with an extension of licensing hours.”

Mr Ranger said the Bill would “have the two-fold impact of saving businesses both time and money, and also means local licensing authorities avoid the strain of being required to process large numbers of individual applications, possibly at very late notice”.

Turning to events of national and international importance, he said: “These events bring us together to share in these occasions, the joy of them and also perhaps inevitable trauma of when England lose on penalties again – or the anticipated jubilation of when Wales reaches the World Cup final, and of course the day when Wrexham reach the FA Cup final.”

Conservative shadow policing minister Matt Vickers, who is also the MP for Stockton West, said: “While it may be unlikely, I remain hopeful that one day the mighty Stockton Town will take advantage of these changes with a future appearance late in the evening during a Champions League final.

“In the meantime, while I might have to wait a while for that, I express our support for this change and look forward to taking advantage of it during the next international tournament.”