Tory pledge to curb late-night pub 'madness'

A Conservative government will make drastic changes to the Licensing Act to prevent pubs in residential areas opening after midnight, a would-be MP has pledged.

Coun Nigel Dawkins, who is leading the Conservative challenge for Selly Oak at the next election, said that it is ‘madness’ for suburban pubs to be allowed to open after midnight.

It comes after the Mountaineer Pub, in Ashburton Road, Kings Heath, agreed to cut the loud music and call last orders at 11pm in the face of complaints of yob behaviour and late-night noise.

Coun Dawkins, who chairs a council licensing sub-committee, had called a review of the pub’s licence, which was due to be heard on August 24.

He said: “It is clear to me that they have voluntarily given up the most contentious parts of their licence rather than risk a full blown licence review where they ran the danger of losing their licence altogether.

“It was a madness that a pub located in the heart of a residential area was ever granted such late-night hours.

“The late opening hours and the entertainment were leading to the late-night disorder, nuisance and criminality that was plaguing the area and therefore I welcome the removal of these and have withdrawn my review.

“The fault lies with the Licensing Act which actively encouraged pubs to seek such late hours and made it almost impossible for residents to object. No matter how much common sense told us that a pub closing at 1am each morning in a residential area would lead to nuisance residents were powerless to prevent it.

“I am sure that the Mountaineer is just the tip of the iceberg in Birmingham and clear evidence that the Licensing Act should be reviewed. If this Government does not make changes a Conservative Government will.”

The pub, which currently closes at 12.30pm has long faced complaints over yob behaviour and loud music. But while police and residents have lobbied for it to close, in June 200 customers backed a petition in support. Enterprise Inns said it had worked with the local authority, police and residents to find a solution.