Welcome to the August newsletter from the Westminster Licensees Association - providing a round up of the latest news, the top issues affecting trade in Westminster and the vital information you need to run your business effectively. .

More information on these and other topics is available on our website www.westminsterlicensees.org.

Licensing renewal fees: Westminster Council has started to send the first letters to licensees asking for payment of annual licensing fees. Although premises licences do not need to be renewed on an annual basis, an administration fee must be paid. We have had several queries from members who are confused as to when this is due. Although the licence did not take effect until 24th November, you will need to make payment on the anniversary of the date on which your licence was granted. The Council will send you a letter of reminder a month before the fee is due but it is your responsibility to make sure that payment is made. Failure to do so will result in action against the company and possibly the licence.

Smoking ban latest: this summer, the legislation introducing a ban on smoking in public places - including all licensed premises - was finally adopted. The date on which the ban will be introduced has yet to be set, but it is expected to be next summer. As always, the devil will be in the detail and the implications for licensed retailers remain unclear. Draft regulations governing smoking in outside areas, hotel bedrooms, company flats and vehicles have been published but have yet to confirmed - our comprehensive briefing note gives you the latest state of play and advice on how to comply. Do not make any investment in external furniture or awnings until you have read it and assessed whether it will be covered by the ban.

Noise: from 1 October local authorities will have new powers to take immediate action against night-time noise from licensed premises. Acting on complaints from local residents, if the noise breaches a certain level and the outlet in question fails to take action, they can issue an on-the-spot fine of up to £500 against the DPS or manager on duty. Given that the council will pocket the receipt of these fines and that the process is quick and easy, it is likely that we will see an increase in enforcement activity. Read our briefing note to ensure that you and your staff are prepared and avoid being on the receiving end of a hefty fine.

Cutting Costs: utility costs are one of the major headaches of doing business at present, with waste disposal and energy rating the most highly. Several of our members have found that they have been able to cut waste costs by switching from Westminster to Albion Waste - they are cheaper than Westminster per bag, glass is recycled and cardboard is collected for free. Go to www.albionwaste.com or call 07788 687880.

In similar cost-saving vein, another of our members called to let us know about www.theenergyshop.com which allows you to compare wholesale energy prices and deals without making any inadvertent commitments. With 1 in 4 bills wrong, can you afford not to check it out?

Employment costs set to soar: the Government is currently consulting on changes to the NMW and increasing annual paid leave from 4 to 5.6 weeks (pro-rata for part-timers). The two changes together will take effect from October 2007 and are likely to add between 4-6% to wage costs. We will be attending a meeting to discuss this on 7 September. If you have any comments or thoughts e-mail us.

 

Kate Nicholls
23 Beaconsfield Road
London W5 5JE
tel 07958 796 238