Welcome to the Christmas newsletter 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.

New Year's Eve: There has been a lot of confusion and uncertainty relating to trading hours for New Year's Eve this year - not helped by incorrect articles in the trade press. Despite what you may read in the papers, all those who converted their existing permissions to new licences last year automatically have the right to trade beyond the end of their permitted hours on New Year's Eve until the start of normal hours on New Year's Day thanks to legislation passed in 2001. This applies regardless of the fact that New Year's Eve falls on a Sunday this year and requires no specific permission to be sought.

Check out our authoritative advice for the full story and make sure that you take advantage of the trading opportunities.

Police advice: the WLA recently met with Westminster's licensing unit to discuss arrangements for the festive period. Operators need to be aware that the police are planning a major operation in the West End over the Christmas trading period and should expect to see high profile and regular inspections and ad hoc visits taking place. The police will come down particularly hard on drunkenness - the serving of drunks and allowing drunken customers to remain on the premises. They will expect managers to remove drunks regardless of the problems this may cause on the streets.

They also want to see all nightclubs ticket only on New Year's Eve and for all venues to observe a 1am curfew. We are liaising with the police to determine whether this is advice or a requirement and any penalties which may be applied if this expectation is not met.

You need to ensure that all your paperwork is in order and readily available and staff are briefed - the police appear to be clamping down hard on existing operators and making full use of a wide range of powers available to them to close or threaten to close outlets. Make sure you know the score by reading our briefing note.

New Laws: finally, don't forget that it will be illegal to have unstamped bottles of spirits on the premises from 1 January 2007. Make sure you have a happy New Year by planning Christmas purchasing carefully and checking out our three point plan to comply with the new requirements.

Other dates to be aware of:

• April 2007: the Government has increased stake and prizes for AWP machines to 50p and £35 but will not change the duty until the Budget next Spring. This is the first date from which higher payout machines are viable.
• 1 July 2007: the smoking ban will take effect from 6am and all outlets will have to display no-smoking signs or face a fine.
  

 

We wish you all a happy and profitable Christmas and New Year!

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