AS the country gears up for a revolution in British licensing laws, local residents can rest assured that Alton is unlikely to witness a dramatic change in drinking habits. As from Monday, landlords have been able to apply for 24-hour opening, 365 days a year but that doesn't mean they will get an all-day license and, if there's trouble, the police have powers to order immediate closure. Resigned to the change, Alton Inspector Tony Tipping feels that while 24-hour opening may prevent "last-gasp drinking", Alton is unlikely to become "a den of iniquity". Nonetheless, if opening hours are increased, Friday and Saturday nights are likely to see an burgeoning workload with police resources geared towards preventing trouble when people leave the pubs. "I fought long and hard to prevent a 12 pm licence in Alton, and if opening hours are extended nobody's going to give me more bobbies," said the inspector. A controversial piece of government legislation, the Licensing Act of 2003 has signified radical change not just in opening hours but because the responsibility for issuing liquor licences has shifted from the magistrates court to the local council. East Hampshire District Council is now the new licensing authority for the area, and it expects to deal with around 360 renewal applications and anything up to 1,000 newly- created personal licence applications to be decided by the licensing committee. The existing licensing laws will remain the same until November, when the new changes take effect. This personal licence is separate from the existing licence which authorises the premises to be used for the supply of alcohol, and allows the movement of personal licence holders from one premise to another. In short, publicans are no longer tied by licence to the premises where they work. The administration for the scheme is intended to be funded by the licensees themselves who will pay for the new licences. A licensing committee consists of 15 members, and if anyone makes a "representation" (or objection) against the issuing of a licence, then the issue is taken before a sub-committee of three members for a hearing, unless the matter is resolved through mediation. EHDC principal licensing officer Angela Howes believes that the new licensing system will simplify the system, as licences will be provided and regulated solely by one body. "The new act provides the flexibility to take bureaucracy out of the system and also to allow businesses to work in a more efficient way," she said. Inspector Tipping is very much in support of licenses being distributed by the local authority. "It gives a degree of accountability to the community, and marks a significant step forward. Now the concerns of residents are taken on board and people who are elected on to the licensing committee will have their say," he said. Robert Johnston, the chairman of Winchester Council's licensing and regulation committee, confirmed that contrary to recent press coverage, the new act does not automatically permit 24-hour drinking for pubs and clubs. "Any licensee who wants to extend their hours will have to apply to the council and must set out in their application the steps they will be taking to deal with problems which might arise. Local residents and businesses can make representations to the council in response to applications, and we will then hold a public hearing to consider these representations." Alton MP Michael Mates however is concerned over what he sees as the government prohibiting parish councils and individual councillors from objecting to alcohol licences. "The government has decided that parish councils will not be recognised as objectors to late licences. This is a basic denial of democracy. In many communities in East Hampshire the parish or town council is well able to judge how local residents will feel about applications for licences to serve or sell alcohol. Why should they be denied the chance to object?" Hughie Donnachie was landlord of the White Hart at Holybourne for 13 years, and twice the chairman of the Licensed Victuallers' Association (LVA) and chairman of the southern region of the British Institute of Innkeeping. He is in favour of the new legislation. "I think the new act provides the opportunity to trade when the public want to trade. If there's a demand for extended hours, then let them have it. We are adopting the continental café culture, and landlords can now open when they and the public like - such as opening early for breakfast on a Sunday. "In the long term, 24-hour opening is a good thing, but short term it will take people time to get used to the idea. People's attitudes will change over time." He continued: "People forget that licensees are residents of the area, so they will behave in a responsible, neighbourly fashion. Almost everybody will be applying to open for longer hours - but the landlord does not have to use them. "Landlords are business people after all, and they will enjoy the flexibility offered by the new reforms, but where is the point in staying open late in an empty pub with staff doing nothing while the heating and lighting are on? "I do not see the binge-drinking phenomenon which happens mainly in larger towns, such as Basingstoke, Guildford and Winchester, happening here. Alton is and will continue to be a safe place to live and a safe place to drink." Hailey Carter, the landlady of the Selborne Arms at Selborne and chairman of the LVA, is in agreement. "Maybe the town pubs will open a bit later but it is unlikely to affect us in a village pub a great deal. We will probably apply for a late licence at the weekends, but there's not much point during the week - everyone's gone home by 11!"
