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The Licensing Act 2003

Proposals for the implementation of a new Licensing Regime were set out in 2001, in the White Paper “Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of our Licensing Laws”.

The Consultation texts and responses, and relevant background papers can be found here:
www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Publications/archive_2001/time_for_reform.htm.

The Institute of Alcohol Studies Response to the Consultation can be found here:
www.ias.org.uk/resources/papers/papers.html.

The Licensing Act 2003 was implemented in November 2005, amalgamating the previous six existing licensing regimes (alcohol, public entertainment, cinemas, theatres, late night refreshment house and night café) into a single integrated scheme for licensing premises which sell or supply alcohol, provide regulated entertainment to the public or provide later night refreshment.

The four Licensing Objectives are as follows:

  • Prevention of crime and disorder
  • Public safety
  • Prevention of public nuisance
  • Protection of children from harm

The full legislative text can be found here:
www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2003/20030017.htm


This section provides information on how the Act is projected to alleviate Crime and Disorder:
www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/Alcohol_entertainment/licensing_act_2003_explained
/crime_and_disorder.htm

You can read responses and papers published by the Institute of Alcohol Studies here:
www.ias.org.uk/resources/papers/papers.html

Implementation of the Act
Alcohol Concern (January 2007) How Local Authorities are implementing the Licensing Act 2003: The effectiveness of Alcohol Concerns AERC Funded Licensing Toolkit.

The report can be found online here
http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/servlets/doc/1168

Measuring and Evaluating the Impact of the Licensing Act 2003
Friday 24th November 2006 marked the one year anniversary of the Licensing Act, which received mixed media coverage. However, findings from formal government assessments have yet to be published.  This section features published research and reports relating to the evaluation of the act:

  • Local responses to alcohol licensing act 2003: The case of Greater London (pdf 134kb). Rachel Herring, Betsy Thom, John Foster, Christine Franey, & Caudia Salazar:
    This paper describes a preliminary study of local implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 in Greater London. The study investigated variability in local polices, perceptions of the opportunities afforded by the changes in the licensing system and perceptions of barriers and problems arising in the initial implementation process during 2005.

    The research was conducted in two stages: an analysis of the licensing policies of the 33 London boroughs and open discussion, in-depth interviews conducted in five London boroughs with licensing officers and chairs of licensing committees (elected councillors). However, local residents were not interviewed. Although there were reservations, the majority of respondents welcomed the changes in the administration and procedures, in particular the opportunity to have more control of licensing in their locality. Overall respondents did not report major problems or difficulties arising from the new arrangements and the extension of hours. However, it was recognized that it was still too early in the process to draw firm conclusions.
  • Local Government Association Survey 2008, (pdf 316k) A report of a survey of police authorities, primary care trusts and local authorities. Survey results suggest that so far as reducing crime and disorder is concerned, Licensing Act 2003 was an expensive waste of time.
  • The Licensing Act 2003: A step in the right direction? (pdf 225kb). J. H. Foster, R. Herring, S. Waller, & B. Thom. School of Health and Social Sciences, Middlesex University, London, UK, and Centre for History in Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

    The Licensing Act 2003 (covering England and Wales) introduced greater flexibility to the UK licensing laws, including the possibility of 24-h licenses. This paper reports a nation wide survey of 225 (63%) local authority chairs of licensing committees/senior members of licensing teams in England evaluating the short-term impact of the Act. A cumulative impact (saturation) area was only declared in 38 (17%) local authorities. Extended hours applications were more common than new applications in both on- and off–licensed premises. The perception of those surveyed was of ‘no change’ in the following alcohol-related variables; public noise levels (n=5133, 59%) violence and fights (n=5130, 60%), under-aged drinking (n=5143, 67%), crime (n=5141, 68%), and drink-driving (n=5157, 86%). Contrary to the picture often presented in certain parts of the mass-media, the impact of the Licensing Act appears to be neutral. However, these are likely to be the result of a number of intervening factors, rather than the change to a more liberalized licensing regime. The role of the police would seem to be fundamental. Future research will need to disentangle the impact of these intervening factors and it will be a number of years before the impact of these changes can be assessed.

Effect of the Act on Violence using A&E Data
Bellis, M Anderson, Z & Hughes, K (Nov 2006) Effects of the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaigns and the Licensing Act 2003 on Violence, Centre for Public Health, John Moores University ,Liverpool.

The report can be downloaded here:
http://www.cph.org.uk/substancemisuse.asp

The DCMS Website also provides:

The Consultation “Drinking Responsibly: The Government's Proposals” was published in January 2005

jointly by the DCMS, the Home Office, and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, in order to respond to growing concern of the ramifications of the Licensing Act. The document aims to set out how the government plan to tackle the problem of alcohol misuse.

The Consultation and Background Papers can be viewed here:
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/alcohol03.htm

The Institute of Alcohol Studies Response can be viewed here:
www.ias.org.uk/resources/papers/papers.html