Currently, if a pub has more than 200 customers a special licence is required to play or host music. This is changing in the spring to “up to 500 customers between 8am and 11pm” without a special licence. Also, wrestling for an audience of up to 1000 will be allowed. All due to be introduced in the spring as new de-regulations kick in.
Of course that's great news for pubs that want to play Oasis whilst Evil Fred and Wicked Billy wrestle in the corner.
However, whilst all of this is being introduced a local council has won a case to insist that a certain pub plays music at a “barely audible level” (a level whereby an adjoining property cannot discern the lyrics, musical instruments, base beats and tunes”).
This is the same council which approved planning to convert a commercial premises into a residential house next to the very pub in question! (Which has been playing music for many years!).
So in the brave new world customers in this particular pub will struggle to discern the lyrics of any song playing but I’ll bet will hear the grunts of Fred and Billy.
Perhaps the council involved should have said when allowing the planning permission; “Approval for this new residential property will be next door to a pub that plays music (and has done so for many years). We therefore allow planning provided only that sound proofing be installed in the property prior to inhabitation, so that the music from the pub will not offend and provoke further complaints”.
Shame that this bit of common sense was not thought of. The consequence being that once again the poor landlord and his customers suffer!!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
Monday 27 October 2014
Thursday 9 October 2014
Breathalysing Customers Could Fuel Alcohol Consumption
Here’s a story; in the late 19th century the worthy masters of ‘X’ town decided that the rat population was intolerable, and so they invented an incentive scheme to get rid of them. The scheme was simple; they said to the populous: “Kill a rat and bring in its tail to prove its demise, and we will pay you a farthing”. Worked brilliantly, until the law of unintended consequence kicked in and the wise guys started breeding rats because they were easier to catch! Result – the rat population grew. In other words, beware the ‘Law of unintended consequence’!
Now, I am all for the responsible retailing of alcohol (and support the 99% of operators who thus do), and all for the responsible consumption of alcohol (and the 99% of drinkers who do) but have doubts as to the introduction of breathalysing of customers to ensure they are sober – just to ENTER a licensed outlet. This is a growing initiative for night-time venues, driven by various police forces across the UK (Voluntary at present; mandatory one day?).
Here’s how one effect of unintended consequence might happen:-
Night clubs will be required to only admit ‘sober’ customers who pass a breathalyser test (they could one day be prosecuted if non-sober customers are allowed in) and so they will offer cut price drinks to stop pre-loading and thereby attract customers in at an earlier time. This will encourage Supermarkets to drive their prices even lower to protect their sales and thereby ensure pre-loading continues – thus a ‘price war’ ensues. Result; the price of alcohol gets even lower and so more will be consumed, and more consumption will bring more drunkenness. Then there could be a movement to breathalyse customers when they leave night-clubs (God forbid if this ever gets to pubs!). Then perhaps (who knows) a test for supermarkets before anyone can purchase alcohol (not sure if people will be breathalysed at home once they have consumed it, probably not, but once again who knows).
I understand (and sympathise) with the dilemma police have with drunken idiots, also the A&E departments who have to deal with them. BUT demonising alcohol is (in my view) not the answer. The answer lies more in education, peer pressure, more severe penalties for the drunken, penalties for those who sell to drunken people, social exclusion for drunks, cessation of ‘celebrities’ glorying in drunken behaviour, cessation of the redtops glorying in the celebs thus doing. Acceptance that the responsible consumption of alcohol is a positive thing, and an understanding that making alcohol more and more demonised will only enhance its attraction (remember America in the twenties).
Our current attitude to alcohol certainly requires a cultural change. But cultural change invariably comes from peer pressure. For example; 20 years ago a smoker would automatically light up in a friends house, 10 years later they would ask for permission to do so, 5 years later they would not ask, now they ask for forgiveness and go outside in the rain. By the way, it is perfectly legal to smoke in a friends house but it is not socially acceptable. THAT is cultural change!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
Now, I am all for the responsible retailing of alcohol (and support the 99% of operators who thus do), and all for the responsible consumption of alcohol (and the 99% of drinkers who do) but have doubts as to the introduction of breathalysing of customers to ensure they are sober – just to ENTER a licensed outlet. This is a growing initiative for night-time venues, driven by various police forces across the UK (Voluntary at present; mandatory one day?).
Here’s how one effect of unintended consequence might happen:-
Night clubs will be required to only admit ‘sober’ customers who pass a breathalyser test (they could one day be prosecuted if non-sober customers are allowed in) and so they will offer cut price drinks to stop pre-loading and thereby attract customers in at an earlier time. This will encourage Supermarkets to drive their prices even lower to protect their sales and thereby ensure pre-loading continues – thus a ‘price war’ ensues. Result; the price of alcohol gets even lower and so more will be consumed, and more consumption will bring more drunkenness. Then there could be a movement to breathalyse customers when they leave night-clubs (God forbid if this ever gets to pubs!). Then perhaps (who knows) a test for supermarkets before anyone can purchase alcohol (not sure if people will be breathalysed at home once they have consumed it, probably not, but once again who knows).
I understand (and sympathise) with the dilemma police have with drunken idiots, also the A&E departments who have to deal with them. BUT demonising alcohol is (in my view) not the answer. The answer lies more in education, peer pressure, more severe penalties for the drunken, penalties for those who sell to drunken people, social exclusion for drunks, cessation of ‘celebrities’ glorying in drunken behaviour, cessation of the redtops glorying in the celebs thus doing. Acceptance that the responsible consumption of alcohol is a positive thing, and an understanding that making alcohol more and more demonised will only enhance its attraction (remember America in the twenties).
Our current attitude to alcohol certainly requires a cultural change. But cultural change invariably comes from peer pressure. For example; 20 years ago a smoker would automatically light up in a friends house, 10 years later they would ask for permission to do so, 5 years later they would not ask, now they ask for forgiveness and go outside in the rain. By the way, it is perfectly legal to smoke in a friends house but it is not socially acceptable. THAT is cultural change!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
Friday 3 October 2014
More Spent on Drugs & Prostitution than Beer & WIne, Say Government Statistics
Whilst pubs are closing left right and centre, the drug and prostitution sectors appear to be in good health - and growing dramatically!
The Office of National Statistics have reported that consumers in the UK spend more on illegal drugs and prostitution than on beer and wine. Well, not in our village (to the best of my knowledge).
They say that £12.3 billion was spent on drugs and prostitution - but only £11 billion on Beer and Wine. So HMG gather billions in tax and duty from B & W but naff all from D &P (both D & P being recorded as miscellaneous goods and services, presumably!!)
I wonder if HMG are going to introduce as many laws for D & P as they have for B & W, and then ensure that the tax revenue grows from such activities? I doubt it, myself. Much easier to go on persecuting the poor old publican!
We run courses on Drug Awareness and preventing same, but not got into a course on prostitution yet. However, good to see there are some growth industries in the UK!
Has the world gone mad?
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training
The Office of National Statistics have reported that consumers in the UK spend more on illegal drugs and prostitution than on beer and wine. Well, not in our village (to the best of my knowledge).
They say that £12.3 billion was spent on drugs and prostitution - but only £11 billion on Beer and Wine. So HMG gather billions in tax and duty from B & W but naff all from D &P (both D & P being recorded as miscellaneous goods and services, presumably!!)
I wonder if HMG are going to introduce as many laws for D & P as they have for B & W, and then ensure that the tax revenue grows from such activities? I doubt it, myself. Much easier to go on persecuting the poor old publican!
We run courses on Drug Awareness and preventing same, but not got into a course on prostitution yet. However, good to see there are some growth industries in the UK!
Has the world gone mad?
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training
Thursday 25 September 2014
World’s Strongest Beer – A Cheap Publicity Stunt?
Brewmeister – a small Scottish craft brewery is the love child of two intrepid brewers, Lewis and John, who were bored of watery tasting lagers and boring beers
Their idea to open a brewery, which fused Scottish malts with German yeast, came about on the beautiful west coast of Scotland on a camping trip. Three months later, the guys had signed the lease on an old farm building and bought old dairy tanks to begin brewing. Nearly two years on, they have moved to a custom built brewery in Speyside, they now employ nearly 20 people and export around the world. Their passion is creating beers with a difference, which excites the taste buds and energises the soul; they wish Peace and love to all!
I think you’d have got a lot of peace and love from one of their recent brews - ‘Snake & Venom’ - which claimed an ABV of 67.5%, and which fell foul of the Advertising Standards Agency!! The ASA criticised their 67.5% claim because there was no clarity as to how the 67.5% was achieved – they suspected Ethyl Alcohol may have been added! The ASA have also suggested that future products from Brewmeister shouldn’t place an over-emphasis on the strength of the product! Wonder why?
Of course many have criticised Brewmeister for creating “The world’s strongest beer” simply as a cheap publicity stunt. But a recent counter-comment from Lewis Shand would seem to add credence to these claims – “We’re hoping to win people back with taste, not mad PR stunts like we have done before”.
A quick search of their online shop reveals that this particular brew is currently no longer available to buy, so it would appear that Brewmeister may have seen the error of their ways. Which is a bit of a shame, as I would have liked to have tried just a tooth-full!
At a time when most of the rest of the industry is reducing alcohol strengths to help combat the adverse effect of alcohol (and keep government off their backs) thank the Lord for companies like these who show that we really do live in a great nation where diversity and individuality reigns … if only temporarily!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
Monday 15 September 2014
Windsor Nightclub Takes Alcohol Retailing to a New Low
Some bright spark (without authority, apparently) thought it a great idea to tweet the message below with picture to ‘market and sell’ the delights of spending a night in this club, which is a stones throw for HM’s Berkshire residency (not sure if she is a regular client, possibly not. Andrew might be though).
“Want to end up like her? We're giving away a free booth to groups of girls this Friday. Direct message us”. The image shows a seemingly comatose woman wearing just thong underwear and sprawled out on her front surrounded by drink bottles.
So all of the tremendous work the industry has done to promote ‘responsibly retailing of alcohol’ seems to be lost on these individuals - both the person who tweeted and the lady (hic) in the photo.
The management of the premises have apologised unreservedly and no doubt the culprit is getting an enormous boll*cking! Not sure if the lady has been swooped up by some lucky groom!
Talk about giving the anti-alcohol brigade ammunition!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
Friday 12 September 2014
UK Alcohol Consumption Down But Publicans Are Far From Out
The Portman Group, an organisation established in 1989 by the UK's leading alcohol producers, with a role to promote responsible drinking; to help prevent alcohol misuse; has reported strong evidence to show that ‘we’ (the great British public that is) are changing our relationship with alcohol!
The politicians of course, ever seeking to boast of their wisdom, try to take all of the praise for achieving this; with alcohol consumption falling, underage drinking falling, breath-test positives falling and alcohol related accident numbers and violence also declining.
However, the real praise should go to those great British Publicans who through greater professionalism, training and education ensure that alcohol is sold responsibly in the 50,000 + pubs in the UK.
The dramatic growth in food sales in pubs has changed the whole atmosphere in so many pubs; legislation has also forced pubs to comply with more and more red tape and stringent penalties for any irresponsible alcohol retailing activity. I just hope that drinking at home (where consumption is totally unsupervised) is not taking too much out of our treasured world famous ‘British Pub’ heritage! ‘Pre-loading’ at home often sees intoxicated customers arriving at the pub having not bought a single half of bitter there! Leaving the publican to deal with the consequences.
The reported trends are of course good news, whilst I have no doubt that other reports to counter this published evidence are on their way and will show we are all on our way to Armageddon through ‘the evils of drink’.
The anti-alcohol brigade is alive and well and will latch onto any shred of a statistic proving alcohol to be at the root cause of all societies problems!
Watch this space!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
The politicians of course, ever seeking to boast of their wisdom, try to take all of the praise for achieving this; with alcohol consumption falling, underage drinking falling, breath-test positives falling and alcohol related accident numbers and violence also declining.
However, the real praise should go to those great British Publicans who through greater professionalism, training and education ensure that alcohol is sold responsibly in the 50,000 + pubs in the UK.
The dramatic growth in food sales in pubs has changed the whole atmosphere in so many pubs; legislation has also forced pubs to comply with more and more red tape and stringent penalties for any irresponsible alcohol retailing activity. I just hope that drinking at home (where consumption is totally unsupervised) is not taking too much out of our treasured world famous ‘British Pub’ heritage! ‘Pre-loading’ at home often sees intoxicated customers arriving at the pub having not bought a single half of bitter there! Leaving the publican to deal with the consequences.
The reported trends are of course good news, whilst I have no doubt that other reports to counter this published evidence are on their way and will show we are all on our way to Armageddon through ‘the evils of drink’.
The anti-alcohol brigade is alive and well and will latch onto any shred of a statistic proving alcohol to be at the root cause of all societies problems!
Watch this space!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
Friday 5 September 2014
Drugs Awareness Pub Training - Online Mock Exam
This online test contains 15 multiple-choice questions which are randomly selected and are typical of the exam subject matter and mirrors closely the type of questions which appear within the real Drugs Awareness exam – so you can test yourself again and again to help build your knowledge.
Available on all devices, from desktops to mobiles.
Best of luck!
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Pub Training Courses
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