Consultation outcome

Consultation: Relaxation of licensing hours for His Majesty the King’s coronation

Updated 6 March 2023

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Applies to England and Wales

About this consultation

We are keen to hear from everyone who may be affected by a national relaxation of licensing hours, including members of the public, those who live near to licensed premises, those who own or work in on-trade premises, the police, licensing authorities and trade associations. The consultation covers England and Wales where these proposals apply.

This consultation begins on 19 December 2022 and ends on 23 January 2023.

Send enquiries (including requests for the paper in an alternative format) to: alcohollicensingconsultations@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Consultation principles

The principles that government departments and other public bodies should adopt for engaging stakeholders when developing policy and legislation are set out in the consultation principles.

Introduction

This paper sets out for consultation proposals to relax the licensing hours for His Majesty the King’s coronation. The consultation is aimed at members of the public, local licensing authorities, licensed premises, and other interested parties in England and Wales where these proposals apply.

Copies of the consultation are being sent to:

• Local Government Association

• National Association of Licensing Enforcement Officers

• Institute of Licensing

• National Organisation of Residents Associations

• National Police Chiefs Council

• Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

• British Beer and Pub Association

• Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers

• Wine and Spirits Trade Association

• Alcohol Health Alliance

• Alcohol Research and Concern

• Institute of Alcohol Studies

However, this list is not meant to be exhaustive or exclusive and responses are welcomed from anyone with an interest in or views on the subject covered by this paper.

The proposals

1. The government is consulting on whether to relax licensing hours across England and Wales to mark the His Majesty the King’s coronation on the 6 May 2023. The government proposes to make a licensing hours order under section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 which would extend opening hours from 11pm to 1am on Friday 5 May, Saturday 6 May and Sunday 7 May, ending on Monday 8 May 2023, for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises and the provision of regulated entertainment in licensed premises in England and Wales.

2. The government has decided that, were it to relax licensing hours nationally following this consultation, this would relate to the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises only and the provision of late-night refreshment in on-trade licensed premises. The government believes that the on-trade provision of late-night refreshment in licensed premises would be appropriate to accompany a relaxation of alcohol licensing hours to mark the His Majesty the King’s coronation, not least to support people to drink responsibly.

3. The government considers that any national relaxation of licensing hours should not apply to the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises (i.e., in supermarkets and off-licences) as anyone wishing to mark the occasion at home will be able to buy alcohol during normal shopping hours. Late-night refreshment venues, by definition, are already licensed to open late at night and would not benefit from a relaxation in licensing hours. Unlicensed premises would also not benefit from a relaxation in licensing hours and would still need to give a temporary event notice (TEN) to undertake licensable activities.

4. The purpose of any national relaxation of licensing hours to mark His Majesty the King’s coronation would be to enable pubs and other on-trade premises to sell alcohol and late-night refreshment to those wishing to extend their celebrations of His Majesty The King’s Coronation beyond their normal licensing hours over the extended bank holiday period.

Background

5. Under section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 (the Act), the Secretary of State may make an order relaxing licensing hours for licensed premises in relation to a ‘celebration period’ to mark an occasion of ‘exceptional international, national or local significance’. A ‘licensing hours order’ can be used to relax licensing hours in licensed premises during a period not exceeding 4 days. An order may be applied to all licensed premises in England and Wales or only to premises in one or more specific area. Other variables in the order are the dates, times and licensable activities to which it applies. Since the introduction of the Act, this national power has been used to mark the late Queen’s platinum jubilee in 2022, the Royal Weddings in 2018 and 2011, the late Queen’s ninetieth birthday celebrations in 2016, and the late Queen’s diamond jubilee in 2012. The power was also used during the World Cup in 2014 and the 2020 UEFA European championship final.

6. His Majesty the King’s coronation is a national celebration and it is likely that many pubs and other licensed premises will wish to open later over the coronation weekend to take advantage of the celebrations and the additional bank holiday.

7. Licence holders currently have the option of using a temporary event notice (TEN) to extend their opening hours for a limited period. A TEN costs £21 and must be submitted at least 10 working days before the event begins. However, they are subject to certain annual limits and may be refused if the police object on the grounds of crime and disorder. The TENs regime also allows people or organisations without existing licenses to give notice that they intend to sell alcohol at times when this would not otherwise be authorised on a ‘one-off’ limited basis. This system is designed to balance giving people and organisations flexibility in selling alcohol and carrying on other licensed activities, whilst protecting local people from the problems this can cause, including crime and disorder and public nuisance.

8. There are however potential risks to relaxing licensing hours such as the impact on enforcement agencies. Alcohol-related crime and disorder accounts for more than half the societal costs of alcohol and the number of alcohol-related violent incidents have been falling consistently. There have also been no reports of increased disorder as a result of the previous extensions to licensing hours for royal events. The government believes that any risk of additional disorder in relation to the licensing hours extension is low. This consultation will allow the police time to prepare in advance and allow other partners to respond accordingly.

9. On coming to its final decision on whether or not to relax the licensing hours nationally, the government will balance reducing burdens on businesses wishing to celebrate the His Majesty the King’s coronation with protecting the public from potential crime and disorder and public nuisance late at night.

Questionnaire

We would welcome responses to the following questions set out in this consultation paper.

Q1. Do you support the proposal for extending the licencing hours for His Majesty the King’s coronation celebrations?

Yes

No

Q2. Do you agree that the order should only apply to the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises?

Yes

No

Q3. Do you agree that the order should apply to both England and Wales?

Yes

No

Q4. Do you agree that the order should extend licensing hours on Friday 5 May until 1am the following morning?

Yes

No

Q5. Do you agree that the order should extend licensing hours on Saturday 6 May until 1am the following morning?

Yes

No

Q6. Do you agree that the order should extend licensing hours on Sunday 7 May until 1am the following morning?

Yes

No

Q7. If you disagree with this proposal, please give reasons.

Thank you for participating in this consultation.

About you

Please use this section to tell us about yourself.

Full name

Job title or capacity in which you are responding to this consultation exercise (for example, member of the public)

Date

Company name/organisation (if applicable)

Address and postcode

Would you like us to acknowledge receipt of your response?

Yes

No

Email address to which the acknowledgement should be sent

If you are a representative of a group, please tell us the name of the group and give a summary of the people or organisations that you represent.

Contact details and how to respond

Please complete the consultation online or send your response by 23 January 2023 to:

Licensing Hours Consultation
Alcohol Team, 5th Floor Fry Building
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Email: alcohollicensingconsultations@homeoffice.gov.uk

Complaints or comments

If you have any complaints or comments about the consultation process you should contact the Home Office at the above address.

Extra copies

Further paper copies of this consultation can be obtained from this address and it is also available online.

Publication of response

A paper summarising the responses to this consultation will be published. The response paper will be available online.

Representative groups

Representative groups are asked to give a summary of the people and organisations they represent when they respond.

Confidentiality

Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be published or disclosed in accordance with the access to information regimes (these are primarily the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004).

If you want the information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the FOIA, there is a statutory Code of Practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence. In view of this it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the Home Office.

The Home Office will process your personal data in accordance with the DPA and in the majority of circumstances this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.

© Crown copyright [2022]

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/relaxation-of-licensing-hours-for-his-majesty-the-kings-coronation.

Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.