Alcohol  Delivery  Laws  In  The  UK  –  Assessing  The  Impact    Introduction    It  has  been  nearly  ten  years  since  the  introduction  of  major  reforms  in  UK  drinking  laws  and  enough  time  has   passed   to   begin   assessing   the   effect   of   the   changes.   The   year   2005   saw   the   introduction   of   the  Licensing  Act  (2003),  which  liberalized  opening  hours  significantly,  potentially  allowing  late-­‐night  drinking  in  many  more  venues  than  had  been  possible  before.    Fears  and  expectations  of  the  new  law    Prior   to   the   introduction   of   the   Act   by   the   Labour   government   it   was   often   quite   difficult   for   licensed  premises  to  serve  alcohol  past  eleven  o’clock  at  night  and   licence  holders  either  had  to  have  a   late-­‐night  licence  or  apply   for  a   temporary  extension   if   they  planned  serving  alcohol  past   the  eleven  o’clock  cut-­‐off  time.   The  2003  Act   relaxed  permitted  hours   substantially  with   the   result   that   licensees   could  potentially  serve  alcohol  around  the  clock  or  even  to  never  close  at  all.    At  the  time  of  its  introduction  the  Act  was  extremely  popular  with  the  public.  Surveys  by  the  British  Market  Research   Bureau   (BMRB)   showed   that   the   vast   majority   of   the   public   were   aware   of   the   changes   (90  percent)  and  approximately  two  thirds  of  adults  aged  over  18  (64  percent)  thought  pubs  and  bars  should  be  able  to  open  from  midnight  onwards.  Not  all  were  in  favour  however.  Both  the  Conservatives  and  Liberal  Democrats   opposed   the   relaxing   of   the   law   and   tried   unsuccessfully   in   parliament   to   prevent   the  introduction  of  the  law.  The  then  Shadow  Home  Secretary,  David  Davis  said  that  it  would  make  the  issue  of  binge-­‐drinking  “much,  much  worse”.    Opponents   of   changes   in   the   law   argued   that   longer   drinking   hours  would  mean   an   upsurge   in   alcohol-­‐related  public  and  private  disorder.  Members  of  the  judiciary  criticised  the  plans  with  Judge  Charles  Harris  QC  saying  that  a  significant  proportion  of  Britons  became  “pugnacious  and  bellicose”  under  the  effects  of  alcohol.  However  the  Labour  government,  which  changed  the  law,  held  the  view  that  removing  the  23:00  cut-­‐off   time   would   remove   the   flurry   of   alcohol   consumption   that   accompanied   last   orders   amid   the  constraints   imposed   by   drinking   up   time.   This   had   led   to   the   common   sight   of   sizeable   numbers   of   pub  customers  spilling  out  onto  the  streets  at  the  same  time  with  episodes  of  violence  and  disorder  common  in  the  surrounding  areas  and  on  public  transport.    Impact  of  the  changes    When  the  act  was   implemented  in  November  2005  it  was  thought  that  as  many  as  two  thirds  of   licensed  premises   would   apply   for   extended   hours,   equating   to   around   190,000   pubs,   clubs,   hotels   and   other  premises.   This   led   to   fears   that   the   country   would   be   awash   with   alcohol   soaked   adults   and   teenagers  falling  out  of  bars.  However,  far  fewer  applications  were  actually  submitted.  According  to  the  most  recent  Home  Office  figures,  7,672  premises  in  England  and  Wales  have  24-­‐hour  licenses  out  of  a  total  number  of  33,865,   (22.9   percent).  Of   these   a   surprisingly   small   number   are   bars,   pubs   and   nightclubs;   just   918   (12  percent).  The  largest  proportion  of  24-­‐hour  licenses  are  held  by  hotels  (45  percent),  with  3,295  holding  24-­‐hour  licenses.  Further  analysis  of  the  figures  shows  that  only  481  of  these  hotels  offer  late-­‐night  drinking  to  non-­‐guests  -­‐  the  majority  that  serve  in  the  early  hours  do  so  only  to  guests.  After  hotels,  supermarkets  and  stores   make   up   the   biggest   proportion   of   round-­‐the-­‐clock   licenses   (28   percent),   with   2,082   premises  holding   these   licenses.   The   change   in   the   licensing   laws   has   also   seen   the   growth   of   non-­‐traditional  providers,  such  as  alcohol  delivery  companies  that  take  late-­‐night  orders  online  and  deliver  to  customers’  doors.            

 

   

   It  appears  that  many  venues  applied  for  extensions  simply  to  allow  the  opportunity  to  serve   late  without  necessarily  intending  to  utilise  this  on  a  regular  basis.  In  research  conducted  in  the  City  of  Manchester,  one  of   the   UK’s   largest   urban   centres,   average   trading   times   following   the   introduction   of   the   new   law  increased  by  just  30  to  45  minutes  on  weekdays  and  by  1  hour  and  20  minutes  at  weekends.    One  of  the  aims  of  the  change  in  drinking  laws  was  to  curb  binge  drinking.  In  this  regard  the  law  has  been  ineffective   with   little   improvement   and   in   some   areas   there   has   been   a   deterioration   in   the   situation.  Indeed,  concerns  about  the  issue  have  led  to  a  Parliamentary  investigation  into  the  issue.    Crime   prevention  minister,   Government   estimates   of   the   cost   of   alcohol-­‐related   crime   put   it   at   around  £12billion   and   some   senior   police   officers   have   criticised   the   extended   drinking   hours,   describing   it   as   a  failed   ‘experiment’  that  has  caused   ‘significant  problems’  between  3am  and  6am.  Humphreys,  Eisner  and  Wiebe  have  conducted  extensive  research  into  the  effects  of  the  Licensing  Act  (2003)  and  found  that  it  has  actually  made   no   difference   to   the   overall   level   of   violence.   They   examined   police   records   for   violence,  robbery   and   total   crime   for   the   City   of   Manchester   (population   464,200)   between   February   2004   and  December   2007,   assessing   the   period   immediately   before   and   after   the   introduction   of   the   law.   The  

authors   found   that,  while   the   overall   level   of   violence   did   not   change,   there  was   evidence   that   alcohol-­‐related  incidents  were  pushed  back  to  the  3am  -­‐  6am  period.    Figures   from   the   Home  Office   have   shown   a   rise   in   problem   areas   since   the   introduction   of   the   act.   In  March  2007,  just  over  a  year  after  the  change,  there  were  71  problem  zones  in  the  UK.  By  the  end  of  2013  these  had  increased  to  175.  The  most  common  issues  were  fighting,  littering,  drug  dealing,  pick-­‐pocketing  and  other  types  of  street  robberies.  In  London  the  effect  of  alcohol-­‐related  crime  on  public  transport  was  offset  by  the  introduction  of  a  ban  on  alcohol  on  Transport  for  London  (TfL)  services  from  June  2008.  This  covered  underground  trains,  buses,   light  railway  services  and  trams  across  the  capital  and  was  supported  by  around  87  percent  of  service  users.  It  is  estimated  that  the  ban  cut  assaults  on  Tube  staff  by  15  percent.      Councils,  who  took  over  responsibility  for   licensing  with  the  changes   in  the   law,  were  given  the  power  to  refuse   licenses   in   areas   affected   by   persistently   high   rates   of   alcohol-­‐related   crime   and   disorder.   The  Cumulative   Impact  Policies   (CIP)   target   license  holders  by  empowering  councils   to   restrict   the  number  of  licensed  premises   in   particular   areas.  Additionally,   councils   have   also  had   the  option   for   the   last   year   to  charge  bars  and  clubs  operating  extended  hours  an  Early  Morning  Restriction  Order  (EMRO)  or  Late  Night  Levy  of  up  to  £4,440  per  year.  To  date  however,  no  councils  have  chosen  to  apply  this  measure.    In  recent  years  much  of  the  government’s  strategy  in  relation  to  alcohol  has  been  focused  on  introducing  minimum  pricing  per  unit   of   alcohol,   rather   than  on   reversing   the   licensing   laws,   so   it   appears   likely   the  changes  are  here  to  stay.    Sources:  www.alcohol-­‐delivery.co    www.bbc.co.uk    ww.cam.ac.uk  www.gov.uk    www.ias.org.uk    www.marketresearchworld.net  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov    www.wikipedia.org