Changes to licensing laws ‘long overdue’, says publican

THE first substantial changes to licensing laws in the North in 25 years will come into effect from today.

Under the new laws, pubs and clubs will be able to serve alcohol for an extra hour almost every weekend – up until 2am, instead of 1am – and the traditional Easter restrictions have been removed.

With the festive season fast approaching, the hospitality sector is expected to benefit from the new measures, including the extra hour drinking-up time.

The Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill, nine years in the making, is the first major change to Northern Ireland’s licensing laws since 1996.

Michael McElroy, a prominent figure in Omagh’s hospitality industry, has welcomed the “long overdue” changes. But, the owner of Omagh’s Main Street complex, qualified his optimism with reference to “the Executive’s ineptitude in giving clarity to the hospitality trade” over Covid-19 restrictions.

“In the short-term the hospitality industry needs clarity and funding,” he said. “At the minute, venues cannot plan for Christmas, use parts of their own premises, and generally they are heavily restricted in how they run themselves.”

Mr McElroy also hit out at the Executive’s allocation of monies through the pandemic.

He claimed, “This dysfunctional Executive has been consistently careless with how they have allocated relief funds, virtually abandoning the hospitality industry while at the same time spending millions on extraordinarily wealthy exclusive golf clubs like the Royal Portrush.”

But while there is no doubt many publicans and punters eagerly await the day when normality is restored in pubs and clubs, there will surely be some moments this weekend when spirits sink as traditional taxi-time draws near, only to sharply soar again when the barman announces that everyone has an extra hour to spend in their convivial surroundings.