Home Office allows pubs and clubs to stay open until 1am on Prince William's wedding day and the day after
Pubs and clubs will be able to stay open until 1am for two nights of royal wedding celebrations under a special dispensation announced by the Home Office today.
The home office minister James Brokenshire said pubs, clubs and community and village halls were to be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours in recognition "that people may want to extend their festivities to mark this important occasion". The extension will apply to the provision of entertainment, such as live music, as well as selling alcohol.
While Brokenshire may be anticipating widespread "Charles and Di" style street parties over the last weekend in April, the Home Office measure does not rule out extended drinking sessions by republicans wanting to protest against hereditary power.
The measure requires a short two-week consultation by the Home Office. Brokenshire told MPs today that the relaxation of the licensing hours would allow all licensed premises in England and Wales to stay open until 1am on Friday 29 April, the day of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and Saturday 30 April.
"We are mindful that late-night drinking can lead to crime and disorder and public nuisance. On this basis, we are proposing a modest relaxation of licensing hours until 1am and intend to restrict the order to the sale of alcohol in pubs, clubs and anywhere else where alcohol is consumed on the premises and to regulated entertainment such as live and recorded music, dancing, plays and films," says today's official ministerial statement to parliament.
The decision to introduce a licensing hours order under the 2003 Licensing Act means that the current requirement for pubs to apply to their local council for a temporary event notice at a cost of �21 will be waived. The 2003 power allows the home secretary to relax the licensing laws to mark occasions of "exceptional international, national or local significance".
Friday 29 April has already been declared an official public holiday. As Easter falls the weekend before and May Day on the following Monday it means that many people will enjoy two four-day weekends in a row.
The British Beer and Pub Association immediately welcomed the move. "This is great news, and it is really good to see the government recognising that this is a brilliant opportunity for us all to get together in the pub, to celebrate a great national event," it said.
John Haley, licensee at the Old Boot Inn near Bucklebury, Berkshire, where Kate Middleton grew up, told the Publican magazine today the extended opening hours would support what promised to be "a very good day".
But Martin Priest at the Old Star, based near Westminster Abbey where the couple will marry, said: "I don't think later opening hours will make the slightest bit of difference. People will have drifted off by 11pm. I'd rather open earlier in the morning."
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/12/pubs-open-late-royal-wedding
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