JG & Partners June/July Licensing News
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Committee launches an inquiry into the economic etc. impact of food waste in England.
Posted: 11 Jul 2016 07:00 AM PDT
In the UK, approximately 8 million tonnes of food is wasted post-manufacture, including households, retail and wholesale and hospitality/food sector. 60% of this could have been avoided. This has an annual value of approximately £16 billion a year’. This Committee has announced that it will examine the economic, environmental and social impacts of food waste with a focus on …
‘Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice: Catering 2016’ – BHA
Posted: 11 Jul 2016 03:00 AM PDT
Following our earlier article, the British Hospitality Association (BHA) today publishes their Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice: Catering 2016, which is has been prepared in consultation with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. This is the first update to the guidelines in 20 years and will help businesses who serve food to do so safely. The serious consequences of p…
Gambling – Responses to gaming machine consultations published
Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:00 AM PDT
We have previously reported upon the Gambling Commission’s consultation concerning where gaming machines should be played. The consultation window closed on 22nd February and the Commission have now published a summary of the responses received. Many respondents to the consultation reportedly called for a clearer explanation of how compliance with any new provisions would be assessed du…
Gambling – Proposals for changes to Commission Fees
Posted: 11 Jul 2016 02:00 AM PDT
The Gambling Commission and Department of Culture Media and Sport have published a joint consultation on proposed changes to Gambling Fees. A Link to the Gambling Commission release on this subject can be found here. Some of the main points highlighted by the Gambling Commission are as follows: “The proposals in this consultation take account of the significant changes to our …
Gambling – Code of practice for gaming machines in clubs and premises with an alcohol licence
Posted: 07 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT
A (possibly timely) reminder for licensed premises which have provision of facilities for gaming machine gambling in accordance with club gaming, club machine and alcohol licensed premises permits. There is Gambling Commission Guidance in place with which premises should comply which deals with the siting (and possible co-location with ATMs) of such machines, responsibility for compliance with…
Food Safety – FSA consults on ‘rare burgers’ – differently but again
Posted: 06 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT
Further to our previous news on this topic the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is now consulting on the proposal to introduce specific approval in FSA approved establishments for the production of minced meat / meat preparations intended to be eaten less than thoroughly cooked. Restaurants and catering establishments who intend to serve burgers less than thoroughly cooked need to ensure that all r…
Copyright law changes affecting licensed premises
Posted: 21 Jun 2016 07:00 AM PDT
This is a very technical area (which we will deal with at the most superficial level). The Copyright (Free Public Showing or Playing) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 were laid before Parliament on 9 May 2016 and came into force on 15 June 2016. This relates largely to the illegal showing of unauthorised broadcasts in public places and notably pubs. You w…
UK Night Time Economy – and the terrorist threat
Posted: 21 Jun 2016 06:00 AM PDT
The National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) offers businesses operating in the Night Time Economy the opportunity to take part in a regional ‘Project Argus’ initiative, a programme of counter terrorism testing and exercises, delivered by Counter Terrorism Security Advisers and Counter Terrorism Awareness Advisers. NaCTSO state that ‘taking the opportunity to attend a se…
Gambling – Licensing day of action – Inspection Templates
Posted: 16 Jun 2016 03:00 AM PDT
The Institute of Licensing (IoL) will be holding its first annual Licensing Awareness Week from the 20th to 24th June (in part) in conjunction with the Gambling Commission. The 21st June has been entitled Gambling and Gaming day and will focus on gambling licensing. The Commission has lined up a number of visits with local authorities to a range of …
Gambling – Money Laundering Guidance issued
Posted: 16 Jun 2016 02:00 AM PDT
The Gambling Commission have now issued a short leaflet regarding money laundering within the Gaming industry. Although aimed at Licensing Officers and Local Police as a guide for enforcement authorities it does include a summary of Operator’s requirements and some interesting case studies. If you are interested, a copy of the guide can be found here.
Gambling – B2 Gaming Machines – Proposed Restrictions
Posted: 15 Jun 2016 03:00 AM PDT
On 14th June 2016, the Bishop of Bristol (on behalf of the Bishop of St Albans), introduced a Bill to the House of Lords to make provision for licensing authorities to restrict the number of Category B2 gaming machines which may be authorised under a betting premises licence. A link to the draft Bill can be found here. As this is not a Government sponsored Bill it faces an uncertain…
FSA Annual Report of Incidents 2015 published
Posted: 10 Jun 2016 06:30 AM PDT
Yesterday, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) published its latest Annual Report of Food Incidents. It shows that in 2015, the FSA and Food Standards Scotland were notified of, investigated and managed 1,514 food, feed and environmental contamination incidents in the UK. The overall number of incidents was similar to those seen in recent years. The four largest contributors to the total number …
Scotland – Minimum unit pricing – update
Posted: 09 Jun 2016 05:30 AM PDT
Further to our previous news on this subject Scotland – Minimum Unit Pricing European Ruling, the Court of Session is Scotland is considering this week the legal challenge to the Scottish Government’s plan for a minimum alcohol price. Judges at the Court of Session in Edinburgh are hearing further evidence after seeking the opinion of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg on …
BBPA releases 2016 tenant/lessee benchmarking data
Posted: 08 Jun 2016 05:00 AM PDT
The BBPA has today released its updated 2016 cost guide for tenants and lessees. The information provided is intended to help those wishing to take on a tenanted or leased pub business to be as well informed as possible about the costs involved in running a pub, and the guide can provides valuable data for tenants and lessees on typical operating costs in the tied pub sector. The guide also gi…
Scotland – Edinburgh Board dates 2016
Posted: 07 Jun 2016 09:00 AM PDT
It has just been confirmed that the last lodging dates for the upcoming Edinburgh Licensing Boards are as follows: Board Dates Lodging Date 29th August 2016 4th July 2016 26th September 2016 1st August 2016 31st October 2016 5th September 2016 28th November 2016 3rd October 2016 19th December 2016 31st October 2016 …
Scotland – Glasgow Licensing Board dates – August 2016 onwards
Posted: 07 Jun 2016 08:00 AM PDT
The Glasgow Board has just announced the dates for their meetings after the 2016 summer recess as follows: Friday 19 August 2016 Friday 16 September 2016 Friday 14 October 2016 Friday 18 November 2016 Friday 16 December 2016 Friday 20 January 2017 Friday 17 February 2017 Friday 17 March 2017 Friday 21 April 2017 Friday 23 June 2017
Nightclub criticised after student rape
Posted: 07 Jun 2016 05:00 AM PDT
A nightclub has been criticised by a Judge after an allegedly drunk student was ejected from the premises before being subsequently abducted and raped in the back of a van. The nightclub removed the teenager after she collapsed in the Birmingham city centre venue. She was lured into a van and driven to an industrial estate where she was raped and sexually assaulted. The comments follow convict…
Scotland – Under-aged test purchasing challenges?
Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:00 AM PDT
Tim Shield attended the Scottish Licensing Law and Practice (SLLP) conference held in Glasgow last Friday. This is always an informative conference and as usual there was a wide range of speakers from differing backgrounds which included Alison Douglas, Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, through various licensing lawyers to Mo Razzaq, an independent retailer who also sits on his Licensi…
Immigration Act 2016 – and its implications for licensing
Posted: 06 Jun 2016 06:00 AM PDT
The Immigration Bill received Royal Assent in May and so became the Immigration Act 2016. There are numerous notable sections affecting licensing with the Home Office confirming likely implementation for these in Spring 2017. Changes to the Licensing Act 2003 Licensing elements are contained in Schedule 4 and the principal points of note include the following. Premises Licence appli…
Pyschoactive Substances Act – Guidance
Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:00 AM PDT
Further to our recent news confirming that this Act is now in force, guidance on the Act for councils has now been produced by the Local Government Association. The Act introduced a blanket ban on the production and distribution of psychoactive substances, defined as any substance which is capable of producing a psychoactive effect in a person who consumes it (and which is not an exempted subs…
New £5 note announced
Posted: 03 Jun 2016 03:00 AM PDT
The Bank of England has announced that a new polymer £5 note will be issued on 13 September 2016 (it is already in production) and has released details of the design and security features of the new note. A dedicated Bank of England website has been set up to provide further detail: http://www.thenewfiver.co.uk/ In May 2017 the existing paper £5 notes will cease to be legal t…
Gambling – Consultation on digital advertising
Posted: 01 Jun 2016 03:30 AM PDT
On the 9th May the Gambling Commission launched a consultation on the proposed wording of a new licence condition entitled Placing digital adverts responsibly. It is intended that the final condition(s), which deals with the placing of digital advertisements by Operators and/or Operators who have advertisements placed by third parties (including affiliates) will be included…
Costs recovery – ‘Hemmings’ in the European Court of Justice
Posted: 01 Jun 2016 03:00 AM PDT
The long running case of Hemmings which concerns the ability of Licensing (and other) Authorities to recover enforcement costs reaches the European Court of Justice (ECJ) today although judgment is not expected until later in the year. For the background and the recent decision of the Supreme Court which referred the matter to the ECJ, see our article ”Hemmings’ Loses – Supreme Court …
Gambling – Test Purchase Warning
Warnings have been issued of further test purchase operations by the Gambling Commission concerning gaming machines in licensed venues.
Gambling – Commission publish new rules on to tackle crime linked to gambling
The Gambling Commission has today announced new requirements to “prevent crime associated with gambling”. The new requirements are due to come into force later this year.
And finally…
Reflections on the 2016 Interbrewery Regatta!
What a weekend; what an experience! 17 boats locked in competitive combat over 5 races (it should have been 6 or 7 but light winds on Sunday put paid to that).