Oldham Council has become the first authority to review all pub licenses at the same time since changes to the Licensing Act came into force in 2003.
The 2003 Licensing Act allows police and trading standards officers to apply for variations in a pub licence if there is concern about drink-related violence and disorder, so what have they come up with?
Concerned about increased violence, the Council is proposing a two drink limit when ordering, effectively ending the ‘buy a round’ system.
To get those two drinks, the customers will have to form an orderly queue with a rope barrier system to ensure no-one cheats. In addition, customers will not be allowed to drink whilst standing in the queue to be served.
That’ll work. Surely there has to be a better idea than this?