The government has announced plans to implement licensing reforms, following taskforce recommendations, to streamline operations and save the hospitality sector millions each year.
The reforms, shaped during a six-week policy sprint with industry and public sector input, aim to cut decades of bureaucracy that have hindered growth and investment.
Central to the package is the proposed creation of a National Licensing Policy Framework, a new structure designed to sit between the Licensing Act 2003 and existing statutory guidance. This framework aims to deliver greater consistency across local authorities while maintaining local decision-making powers.
Other significant changes include:
- Removing mandatory local newspaper advertising requirements for new licences and variations, potentially saving the industry £1-2m annually
- Increasing Temporary Event Notice (TEN) allocations from 15 to 25 per year for licensed premises, covering up to 30 days
- Enhanced outdoor trading provisions to help venues maximise use of external spaces
- Strengthened evidence requirements for objections and licensing conditions
Nick Mackenzie, co-chair of the Licensing Taskforce and CEO at Greene King, said: “As an industry we welcome the proposals and see this as a positive and necessary step towards updating a planning and licensing system that, for too long, has limited hospitality’s ability to drive economic growth across the UK.”
Kate Nicholls OBE, chief executive of UKHospitality, who chaired various working groups within the taskforce, said the reforms represented “a welcome launchpad, backing the recovery of the hospitality sector.”
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, welcomed the government’s response to sector recommendations, describing them as “good first steps” while calling for further measures including business rates reform and employment cost mitigation.
