Reforming Northern Ireland’s licensing law ‘a positive move forward’

Caral Ni Chuilin said the proposed changes ‘strike the right balance’ Picture: PA

Reforming Northern Ireland’s licensing law is a positive move forward, a music promoter said.

Bars and nightclubs will be able to serve for an extra hour, until 2am, nearly every Friday and Saturday, if proposed changes become law.

Joe Dougan said: “People will be able to stay out longer, they are not rushing to get out, it brings us into line with elsewhere and it is a positive thing.”

His Shine Belfast organisation oversees major festivals like Belsonic.

The Stormont Bill updating the licensing law strikes the right balance between supporting the hospitality industry and discouraging harmful drinking, said communities minister Caral Ni Chuilin.

Caral Ni Chuilin said the Bill strikes the right balance (Niall Carson/PA)

She added: “This Bill strikes the right balance, ensuring a level of support to the hospitality sector, which we all agree is very much needed, while protecting the communities by ensuring sale of alcoholic drinks is controlled.

“There is significant support for these balanced proposals.”

Draft Stormont legislation also proposes to remove all restrictions on Easter drinking.

Mr Dougan added: “Easter was confusing and it made business conditions tougher for licensees.

“It is something that is pretty much a regional anomaly that would not be the case in the rest of the UK.

“That is a positive and progressive step forward for Northern Ireland.”

Supermarkets would face curbs on where they can place in-store advertising for alcohol and a voluntary code of practice for drinks promotions would be replaced with legal requirements.

The Assembly debated the matter on Tuesday.

Senior Democratic Unionist Paula Bradley chairs the Stormont committee which will scrutinise the proposals in greater detail.

She said they represented important and long-awaited changes and could boost a tourism and hospitality sector struggling with the impact of the pandemic.

She added alcohol misuse costs £700 million a year for healthcare, policing, prison and workplace absenteeism.

“I am confident that a more flexible licensing framework with the appropriate safeguards will not only assist those sectors to rebuild following the Covid crisis when our society can once again operate under more normal circumstances but also ensure protections are in place to help tackle alcohol-related harm.”

She said changes were considerably wider than previously envisaged and could be in place for many years to come.

Her Communities Committee of Assembly members will begin scrutinising the proposals and she said they did not want to unduly delay progress.

“The committee is supportive of the principles of the Bill and looks forward to considering it in much further detail.”

SDLP Assembly member Mark H Durkan’s family owns licensed premises.

He said: “The local hospitality industry supports thousands of jobs, contributes £1.2 billion every year to our economy and is a key cornerstone of our growing tourism industry.”

He expressed disappointment that breweries and craft distilleries were not included in the reforms.

“It is incredible that these businesses, which are leading the charge on sustainability and innovation in the sector are still prevented from selling their products on site.

“We are tying one hand behind their backs.”