The new Licensing Act has not fuelled an increase in drinking and people do not want to see a return to fixed closing times, according to a new YouGov poll for the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).
The poll, which questioned 1,841 adults, found that 78% of people said they drank about the same amount as they did before the introduction of flexible opening hours, with 12% drinking less and only 3% drinking more.
The survey also found that just over three quarters (76%) did not want to see the new laws abolished and a return to fixed closing times.
83% of people said that the change in law had not affected how often they went out, with 11% saying they now went out less and only 4% saying they went out more often.
The research found that the amount of time people spent out socialising had not altered dramatically, with 40% saying they go out and come home at the same time as before, with 6% going out at the same time and staying out a little later, and 5% going out and staying out later.
The poll also showed that people had noticed positive changes in pubs since the new legislation, with more than half of those questioned saying menus and food had improved.
Four in 10 said pubs were more family friendly, while a third said that they thought pubs now appealed to a wider consumer base.
The research also highlighted changes in drinking patterns, with one in five people saying they felt under less pressure to drink quickly, while 13% said they were more likely to stay in their local pub a bit later than go into a town centre.
Rob Hayward, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “This poll highlights many issues that clearly point to the positive impact of the change made to our licensing laws.
“It is now two years since the new Act came into force and what we can see is that flexible hours are starting to have a beneficial influence on behaviour and experience.
“Taking out the pressure and pinch points associated with restricted hours and fixed closing times is resulting in people feeling under less pressure on their nights out.
“People are embracing the change and there is clearly no support for a return to the past and fixed closing times. What is also pleasing is the widespread appreciation of the role pubs play in community and social life.
“While the term ‘24 hour drinking’ remains an obsession of headline writers, it is a million miles away from the day-to-day experience of pubs and their customers.
“Pubs have extended their hours modestly, usually at the weekend and clearly, as this poll shows, people are not going out that much more and not staying out that much later than they did before the law was changed.”
