Government plans for pubs, clubs and restaurants to extend opening hours

Prime minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to review licensing laws for pubs, bars and restaurants.

The Plan for Change hopes to give a boost to the hospitality sector and drive economic growth by making it easier for operators to host live music, pop-up food stalls, as well as other community events at their venues.

UKHospitality has urged hospitality businesses to support the measures and respond to the four-week review, which closes on 6 November, to ensure the government commits to cutting red tape.

The call for evidence will consider nine key recommendations from the government’s Licensing Taskforce, with particular emphasis on streamlining on-trade alcohol licensing for hospitality venues.

According to The Guardian, councils will have to take into account a new objective of “promoting economic growth” when deciding on applications for new premises or longer opening hours.

While the hospitality industry is welcoming the news, objectors feared extended late night opening will lead to more noise and antisocial behaviour.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Pubs and bars are the beating heart of our communities. Under our Plan for Change, we’re backing them to thrive.

“This review is about cutting red tape, boosting footfall, and making it easier for venues to put on the kind of events that bring people together. When our locals do well, our economy does too.”

Nick Mackenzie, co-chair of the Licensing Taskforce and chief executive at Greene King, added: “Modernising the licensing system is a vital step towards reducing the red-tape that has stifled businesses for too long. Swift consultation on the Licensing Taskforce’s recommendations is key and we urge the government and industry to work together to ensure changes made at pace to address the challenges of running a modern hospitality business.

“Pubs are faced with continued rising costs, placing them under enormous pressures which is why the government must continue to back the sector, including critical reforms on business rates which would unlock opportunities for pubs to invest and help drive economic growth.”

Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, commented: “During this call for evidence, I urge all hospitality businesses to support these measures, to ensure that they are delivered in full.

“However, I am clear that these changes are absolutely not a silver bullet to solve the existential cost challenges hospitality businesses are facing. While we have grasped this once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise the licensing system, we continue to campaign vociferously for material change to reduce the sector’s cost burden at the Budget.

“Hospitality is being taxed out, and we need the government to lower business rates, fix NICs and cut VAT to reverse the damage done by last year’s Budget, which has so far seen 84,000 hospitality jobs lost.”

Earlier this year, the government proposed new powers for London mayor Sadiq Khan to review blocked late-night opening applications by councils.