A clearer picture has emerged of the impact of the new licensing laws that came into force in November 2005, following an official review by the Home Office, due to be officially published today.
The report confirms that there has not been any significant impact on antisocial behaviour or alcohol-associated disorder, nor was it yet to have an impact on drinking patterns.
It concludes that the “chaos feared and predicted” by its introduction had not materialised.
The analysis reveals a 3% fall in violent crime and a 2% drop in admissions in the first year of the Act. It also showed that the number of calls made to police concerning disorder either did not change or showed “statistically significant reductions”.
One area of concern for the pub and bar industry is a significant spike in the “small number of incidents occurring between 3am and 5am”.
The review was based on the effect the Act had on five areas: Birmingham, Blackpool, Croydon, Guildford and Nottingham. It showed that violent crime fell in Croydon (16%) and Blackpool (11%) but rose in Birmingham (6%), Guildford (12%) and Nottingham (3%).
The report suggested that there not been any clear sign that abolishing a standard closing time for pubs and clubs has significantly reduced problems of crime and disorder.
There was little mention of the role of off-licences and supermarkets, despite the fact that most of the small number of 24-hour licences are in the hands of grocers.
A home office spokesman said: “It remains the case that 24-hour licences are the exception rather than the rule, with pubs and bars with extended licences making up about half a per cent of all licencees.
“The Act has not led to 24-hour drinking – most premises have simply added an extra hour or two at weekends.”
Despite the findings, the report has been seized upon by the health lobby, which said it was proof of the failure of the new laws to bring about a change in behaviour.
