Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill: Further Consideration Stage

Part of Executive Committee Business – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 4:15 pm on 21 June 2021.

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Photo of Rachel Woods Rachel Woods Green 4:15, 21 June 2021

I thank the Member for his intervention, and I agree with him. I hope that, in the future, we can even look at community pub models: communities buying over pubs before they are sold on for different reasons and go out of the local area, given that the community pub is the community hub, in many cases.

Whatever pubs and bars do in local areas, they want to be different from the competition, and they want to stay open. Northern Ireland's rural communities could benefit from changes to the regulations that would allow them to provide enhanced community services, like post offices, local farm shops and so on, and also to facilitate community meetings, events and internet access points, as well as initiatives to tackle loneliness and social isolation in rural communities. They could, as an example, work in partnership with not-for-profit organisations such as Pub is The Hub and Hospitality Ulster, but this is just one example of many. I know that members of the Committee took evidence on this during their deliberations and spoke in favour of this type of model at Consideration Stage as something that they would like to explore. Again, I will not go over the details of that at this stage.

However, we know that possible diversity will not be a magic bullet to fix things overnight. However, it is something that we should explore, develop and support if required by licensees. That is especially the case with rural pubs, for example, before they are able to undertake the activity effectively. Our current licensing regulations for mixed trading only apply to off-licences, so any changes to allow for mixed trading in a pub setting would require changes to regulations and, perhaps, legislation. However, this amendment does not try to amend or change mixed trading. The Committee looked at that during Committee Stage, and it cannot be done through this legislation. However, making this amendment to the review clause would mean that this is something that could be looked at in further detail to see what could be done in the future and what appetite there would be for it.

Stakeholders and interested parties could be consulted, and the practical outworkings of any diversification could be understood. For example, how would it affect court applications? Would it affect the licence being granted? What would be the impact of the red line on the licensed area to sell and consume alcohol? Strict segregation of products, which happens in a supermarket, say, or an off-licence, would not work in a pub setting. Would there be a change to building regulations or planning? During a review of the consultation, those kinds of questions could be asked and answered. It is at that time, with all the information and facts, that recommendations could be brought forward if needed.

Our hospitality and pub sector has stepped up during the pandemic, as have so many people in our communities. Businesses helped people in their local areas. They offered food essentials and takeaway meals, and they delivered food to vulnerable people and those who were shielding. They also donated food that they had stocked in March to food banks. They did the same in September and December. They adapted their businesses, if they could, to a different market. As we try to build back better post-pandemic and deal with all the outstanding issues that already faced that industry, we should look at whether there is any other support that government could give to the sector. If diversifying what is on offer in a pub or bar in a certain area would mean that the place was viable and sustainable, why not?

In closing, I say that I am aware that my amendment on pub diversification is unlikely to be made. I am glad that the Minister has said that it will be covered in amendment No 14, but I hope that the Department can progress some work on that through any review and going forward in general. I urge Members to support amendment No 20, which is also in my name.