Mulholland calls for Home Office meeting over licensing changes

Greg Mulholland, chairman of the Save the Pub Group, has requested a meeting with the Home Office to discuss the Government's planned overhaul of licensing laws.

The Lib Dem MP is concerned that proposed changes announced by Home Secretary Theresa May earlier this week, such as more stringent regulations on temporary event notices and a levy on late-night opening, will unfairly harm community pubs.

Other proposals mooted by May include the introduction of powers for local residents to object to pubs on public health grounds and proposals to scrap the "proximity" rule, which allows licensing authorities to take the views of immediate neighbours only into account. The change means that residents can object if they feel a problem establishment is turning their area into a "no go" zone.

Mulholland has written to Home Office minister James Brokenshire requesting a meeting.

"I share the sentiment behind these proposals that we must crack down on alcohol-related crime," he said.

"But the proposals fail to differentiate between those places that have a reputation for trouble and the thousands of community pubs that serve their communities without any such problems.

"It is high time the importance of community pubs is actually recognised by Government.

"As controlled, sociable places for people to enjoy a drink, they are part of the solution to antisocial drinking.

"Yet sadly it seems that successive Governments, despite paying lip-service to this, continue to lump all licensed premises together.

"This has to stop or ministers risk making the problems worse by threatening those very places that offer an alternative to the antisocial binge-drinking that causes disorder."

Government plans licensing law shake-up >>

By Neil Gerrard

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