Licensing Act 2003: facts and figures
Most popular closing times
Across all types of premises, there was little change in closing times, though there was some movement towards later closing times. Tables show the percentage of premises with each of the most popular closing times, before and after the Act came into force.
Pubs, registered social clubs and hotels all still have a majority closing at 11pm.
| Premises |
11 pm
|
midnight
|
|
| Pubs | Before |
88%
|
4%
|
| After |
63%
|
7%
|
|
| Social clubs | Before |
87%
|
2%
|
| After |
77%
|
10%
|
|
| Hotels | Before |
68%
|
15%
|
| After |
56%
|
23%
|
Restaurants have a range of closing times from 10 pm to midnight
| Restaurants |
10pm
|
10.30pm
|
11pm
|
11.30pm
|
midnight
|
| Before |
8%
|
9%
|
44%
|
9%
|
15%
|
| After |
6%
|
8%
|
41%
|
14%
|
18%
|
Bars have a wide range of later closing times.
| Bars |
11pm
|
Midnight
|
1am
|
2am
|
| Before |
55%
|
12%
|
9%
|
9%
|
| After |
42%
|
18%
|
13%
|
12%
|
Nightclubs’ closing times range from 2am to 4pm
| Nightclubs |
2am
|
3am
|
4am
|
| Before |
56%
|
22%
|
4%
|
| After |
44%
|
30%
|
8%
|
Data compiled by CGA Strategy for DCMS. Based on 9,894 registered/social clubs, 3,383 hotels, 21,929 pubs and bars, 8,375 restaurants and 1,182 nightclubs for which information was available about typical closing times before and after the introduction of the Act.
Recorded crime
A survey of 30 police forces found a reduction in violent crime during the day, and an increase between 3 am and 6 am. Overall, there was no increase in violent crime (1% decrease).
| Time | Dec 04 - Nov 05 | Dec 05 -Nov 06 | Absolute Difference | % difference |
| 6am-5.59pm |
534413
|
516469
|
-17944
|
-3
|
| 6pm-8.59pm |
323407
|
319899
|
-3508
|
-1
|
| 9pm-11.59pm |
323369
|
319846
|
-3523
|
-1
|
| 12am-2.59am |
239382
|
242999
|
3617
|
2
|
| 3am-5.59am |
47543
|
57778
|
10235
|
22
|
| Not known |
12613
|
9609
|
-3004
|
-24
|
| Total |
1480727
|
1466600
|
-14127
|
-1
|
Hospital data
A survey of 33 Accident and Emergency departments found a 2% decrease in the number of patients seeking treatment for violence related injuries in 2006, compared with 2005. There was no record of alcohol consumed by either the assailant or the victim. Data were compiled by the Cardiff University Violence Research Group. A question asked in Parliament elicited the total number of A&E admissions in England for the years 2002 to 2006 in which the patient had an alcohol-related diagnosis, whether or not this was the main reason for admission. These figures showed an increase of 8% from 2005/06 to 2006/07. This was a smaller increase than the previous years, each of which showed a 17-19% increase.
| Year | No. of Admissions | % increase |
| 2002-03 |
91325
|
|
| 2003-04 |
108034
|
18%
|
| 2004-05 |
128342
|
19%
|
| 2005-06 |
149865
|
17%
|
| 2006-07 |
162080
|
8%
|
All alcohol-related diagnoses were counted, including liver disease. This increased by 10% in 2006/07, and by 14% in each of the four previous years. Given this general rise in alcohol-related diseases, is perhaps unsurprising that those attending A&E, possibly for unrelated injuries, would also show a rise in alcoholrelated diagnoses.
Data supplied to the Institute of Alcohol Studies show that the total number of hospital consultant episodes (which may be more than admissions, if one patient saw two or more consultants) in which the patient was diagnosed with acute intoxication increased by 7% in 2005/06. In each of the previous three years this figure had increased by more than 20%.
| Year | No. of consultations | % increase |
| 2002-03 |
2489
|
|
| 2003-04 |
31219
|
25%
|
| 2004-05 |
38239
|
22%
|
| 2005-06 |
46126
|
21%
|
| 2006-07 |
49325
|
7%
|
Data were supplied by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care. These figures are for all diagnoses of alcohol intoxication, whether or not this was the main reason for needing treatment. They include figures from A&E as well as other hospital departments.