UK: Trade groups oppose Government pub proposals

Proposals by the government to give councils power to impose conditions on "bad" pubs have been opposed by a number of drinks trade groups.

The proposals by the Home Office could allow local authorities to force the blanket use of CCTV inside pubs in designated areas.

Under the Policing & Crime Bill, 'problem' pubs would be targeted and issued new restrictive trading conditions without a formal licence review.

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) told just-drinks that the restrictions are "the wrong solution at the wrong time".

"Given that we are at a time of deepening recession and rising pub closures, this is a fairly inappropriate time to be putting in place measures that, on the governments own figures, would cost the sector GBP300m (US$430m) this year alone and, on their own admission, would lead to further job losses and business closures," said Mark Hastings, a spokesperson for BBPA.

"There are plenty of other weapons around to deal with the problems and we would all sign up to that cause and any pub causing problems in a community should have very rigorous action taken against it. So ourselves and the government do share the same objective we just think that they have landed at present on the wrong means," Hastings added.

The BBPA has joined forces with the Wine & Spirit Association, British Retail Consortium and the Association of Convenience Stores to explore the legal ramifications of the government's plan.