Trade united in call for drink law reform

Easter has come and gone yet again and licensees across Northern Ireland have been voicing their frustration and anger at the continuing failure of politicians here to reform liquor licensing legislation.

New research suggests that restricted opening hours across the Easter period could cost the industry here as much as £16m and speaking to this magazine on the eve of the holiday period, Gerry McCloskey of the Derry Vintners’ Association demanded urgent reform of the law:

“This has to be changed,” he told LCN recently. “It affects us right across Easter, from the Thursday to the Sunday, and we lose virtually a whole day’s trading as a result.”

Gerry warned that because pubs in Northern Ireland are unable to open until 5pm on Good Friday, many customers will simply buy a carry-out and spend the evening at home:

“We also have problems with tourists on Good Friday, when we are able to open before 5pm to sell food only,” he added. “Most people want a pint or a glass of wine with their meal and we have to explain to them that we can’t do this, but they don’t understand it. Something definitely needs to be done.”

Gerry suggested that if Easter is to be marked in some way, it should be done on a single day and not stretched across the entire long weekend.

In Belfast, Barry Fletcher, GM at The Muddlers Club restaurant in Cathedral Quarter was in agreement. He told LCN that the restricted hours were having “a major effect” on trade:

“When we are taking reservations, we have to warn customers about the change to last orders and it’s hitting our trade,” he explained. “We have people who don’t want to come down at 9.30pm, have a couple of drinks and then be told that they can’t have any more.”

Belfast bar, The Hudson, marked its disdain for the status quo by placing a record of its Easter opening hours on its Facebook page – in the form of a tablet covered in Hieroglyphics.

“When we have more modern licensing laws, we’ll update the text,” says The Hudson.

Pointing out the Cathedral Quarter was built on the idea of people enjoying themselves, Barry Fletcher added:

“We really need to see this change. Belfast is a major European capital and we have to move forward with the times.”