Council in red over licensingoperation

AN OVERHAUL of licensing regulations is being considered in York after the city council was left tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket from issuing licences to hundreds of pubs, clubs and restaurants.

York is famous for the plethora of pubs, bars and restaurants which are crammed into the city centre’s medieval streets.

But York Council was left more than 36,000 in the red after it had to spend in excess of 255,000 issuing alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment licences during last year.

The authority only received an income of 219,000 from its licensing operations, and councillors met on Friday to discuss proposed changes to national regulations which could see councils able to set fees locally.

The chairman of the council’s gambling and licensing acts committee, Coun Dave Merrett, said the prospect of introducing “full cost recovery” with locally set fees was given unanimous support.

He also welcomed plans to curb the problem of “pre-loading”, where revellers buy cut-price alcohol from supermarkets and off-licences before heading out for a night in the city.

Coun Merrett said: “The police have said that pre-loading is becoming more and more common, so it is something we need to take notice of and find ways to tackle.”

The proposed overhaul of licensing regulations is also due to give residents more of a say when responding to licensing applications.

Coun Merrett said: “It (the committee) supports allowing community groups and people on natural routes away from clusters of licensed premises, to make representations on applications.

“These residents are impacted by dispersal from pubs, bars and clubs, so should be able to have their say.”