'Inflexible' pub licensing laws 'need to change' after Women's World Cup debacle

Pubs can open at any time, but the time from which they can sell alcohol depends on the specific terms of their license. Photo: Peter McDiarmid. /London News Pictures

'Inflexible' licensing laws should be changed to avoid a repeat of the spat over allowing pubs to sell alcohol ahead of the Women's World Cup final on Sunday morning, a former cabinet minister said.< /p>

Alan Cairns, former Secretary of Wales, has proposed amending the Licensing Act 2003 to allow the Home Secretary to make a unilateral and comprehensive decision to relax rules in special cases.

This would circumvent the Licensing Act. burdensome requirement for MPs to vote for such changes, which greatly simplifies and speeds up the response to major events.

Pubs can open whenever they want, but the time from which they can sell alcohol depends on the specific terms of their license.

Individual pubs can apply for a temporary event notice to serve alcohol after business hours, but Tips typically take five business days to process.

The government has rejected calls from MPs and hospitality executives to change licensing laws, to allow pubs to sell alcohol before the start of the match between England and Spain at 11:00.

Number 10 said it was not possible as changes would be required. in law at a time when Parliament is not in session and MPs are away for the summer break.

Instead, Downing Street urged city halls to do their best to deal with pub applications for short-term extensions as quickly as possible. .

According to the British Beer and Pub Association, under current law, most pubs can only sell alcoholic drinks from 11:00 on Sundays. Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Beer, said the government «should change» the 2003 Licensing Act because it is currently too «tough».

He told TalkTV: «This is a chance to push.»< /p>

He said that the innkeepers had «not a very good July» and that this match «will be a major boost to the sector we all love and celebrate».

Though he acknowledged that «The government has taken some steps — for example, the draft fee is now a little less than it was,» he said: «But obviously we need to do a lot more work, and I think we also need to change the 2003 Licensing Act, which makes its so inflexible.

“I just wish that under circumstances like this, the home secretary could make a decision to completely change the law without revoking it in parliament, so that means we could do it quickly.

«We're trying to be a little pragmatic this time around, but I think we'll get there.»