The following in The Times

Letters to the Editor

December 26, 2002

Opposition to the new Licensing Bill
From the Deputy Chairman of the Independent Family Brewers of Britain

Sir, Councillor Simon Milton of Westminster council (letter, December 20) doesn't like the new Licensing Bill. Nor do musicians, nor does the Church, nor even will young voters, when they find the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's promises of all-day opening were never more than spin.

Nor do licensees like the Bill. Most publicans just wanted to open an hour later at weekends, which needed one page of deregulation, not 169 pages of extra regulation.

Landlords want licensing to stay with the courts, who are quick, fair and cost-effective. A remarkable 94 per cent of licensees oppose the Bill's nightmare proposal to subject our pubs to the bureaucracy and politics of local councils.

Who does support this Bill? Why, our MPs, who want more local democracy. They hate dealing with complaints from pub neighbours, and can't wait to wash their hands of them by passing responsibility to local councillors. But it won't make for better licensing, pubs, or public order.

Yours etc,
STUART NEAME,
Shepherd Neame Ltd,
17 Court Street,
Faversham, Kent ME13 7AX.
sneame@shepherd-neame.co.uk

December 23.