Guidance

Relaxation of licensing hours for the Royal Wedding: consultation

Consultation on proposed extension of opening hours in licensed premises over the Royal Wedding long weekend in April 2011.

• From: Home Office
• Published: 12 January 2011

Documents

Relaxation of licensing hours for the Royal Wedding (PDF file - 40kb)

PDF, 39.8 KB, 6 pages

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Details

This consultation has now closed. Thank you to everyone who responded.

This is your chance to have your say on the proposed extension of opening hours in licensed premises (such as pubs, clubs and bars) over the Royal Wedding long weekend in April.

On 29 April 2011, the nation will celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. To mark the occasion, the government has declared the day a public holiday.

Many pubs and other licensed premises may wish to open later over that weekend to take advantage of the celebrations and the long weekend.

Currently, licence holders have to apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) to extend their opening hours for a limited period. However, these are subject to annual limits and may be refused if the police object on the grounds of crime and disorder.

The Royal Wedding is a time of national celebration and the government wants everyone to be able to participate. For this reason, the government is considering temporarily extending the opening hours of licensed premises in England and Wales to 1am on Friday 29 April and Saturday 30 April.

This consultation asks for your views on this temporary extension.

How to respond

There are several ways you can respond:

Use our online form to respond

Download the PDF below and:

• email your response to the alcohol strategy unit 

• post your response to:
  Alcohol strategy unit
  Home Office
  4th floor Fry
  2 Marsham Street
  London
  SW1P 4DF

The fine print

Under section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003, the Secretary of State may make an order relaxing opening hours for licensed premises to mark an occasion of ‘exceptional international, national or local significance’. The Royal Wedding is considered such an occasion.

A ‘licensing hours order’ can be used to override existing opening hours in licensed premises, i.e. any premises with a premises licence or club premises certificate for a period of up to four days.

Published 12 January 2011