Alcohol licence reviews up but revocations fall, research reveals

The number of alcohol licence reviews rose by almost a fifth in 2009/10 thanks to a significant increase in requests from the police – but the number of licences revoked after review fell, research by legal publishers Sweet & Maxwell has revealed.

The research found that 1,334 alcohol licences were reviewed in the 12 months to 1 April 2010 (the latest statistics available). This was up from 1,125 in 2008/09 and almost double the 675 reviews in 2007.

Other findings were:

• Reviews initiated following requests from the police rose 32% to 804 in 2009/10, up from 610 the previous year. These accounted for 60% of all reviews, compared to 55% in 2008/09
• The number of expedited, or ‘fast tracked’, reviews requested by the police also increased between 2008/09 and 2009/10 from 75 to 152, a 103% rise
• The number of reviews launched as a result of complaints from local residents was only just up, with 117 in 2009/10 compared to 110 in 2008/09
• Crime and disorder was the most commonly used of the grounds for a review, cited in 72% of all reviews (or 960 times)
• The number of licences actually revoked following a review fell in 2009/10 was 151. They accounted for just 11% of cases, down from 14% in 2009/10.

Phil Crier, Partner and head of the licensing team at law firm Blake Lapthorn, said: “The police have definitely become more active users of their licensing review powers. It is now common practice for police forces to use these powers particularly when dealing with a busy town centre pub or club.

“Police are under enormous political pressure to deal with the anti-social behaviour and the side effects of binge drinking and they see launching a review as a good way of the concerns being taken seriously.”

Crier said his firm’s experience was that the problems the police identified with a premises could normally be sorted out just by talking to the operators of the bar or club and without the need for a licence review. The vast majority of pub and bar operators are more than happy to take on any sensible suggestions from the police, he suggested.

Crier added: “Frequently the police use these powers to impose restrictions on a venue rather than to actually remove the premises' licence and shut it down. For example the police might use the review to limit a bar’s opening hours. Police are increasingly asking premises to install internal CCTV to a higher standard and they can use the licence review as a route to achieving this.”