Last month I told you about the changes made by the Policing and Crime Act 2009 of November. The government have just announced that they will be bringing in to force some of the changes earlier than we expected. Perhaps an early election is on the cards?
The intention is to introduce the following changes on 29 January:
- Allowing members of Licensing Authorities to object to applications and initiate a review of a Premises Licence or Club Registration Certificate
- Making it an offence to sell alcohol to children on 2 occasions (currently 3 occasions) within 3 consecutive months
- A new offence for under 18's of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place (3 or more occasions in 12 consecutive months)
- Changes to the law on confiscation of alcohol from under 18's and directions to those aged 10 or over to leave a public place
My advice is that if you have any licensing applications to make sure you get them in before 29 January otherwise you will face the possibility that an over zealous Licensing Authority will put the boot into your application.
I will keep you updated as and when all the changes take place.
Nigel Musgrove
Licensing Law Specialist
This blog is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor is it intended to be a complete and authoritative statement of the law, and what we say might be out of date by the time you read it. You should always seek legal advice to confirm whether or how any information in this article applies to your particular situation. We offer a free telephone consultation to discuss your particular circumstances.