Responding to the news that the Government has postponed any decision to introduce locally-set licensing fees, the ALMR has welcomed the decision and urged the Government to work to encourage licensed hospitality.
ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “It is important that retailers be afforded the stability they require to invest in their businesses and the retention of a national structure will give them some measure of consistency to do so.
“The introduction of locally-set fees would have led to a significantly increased financial burden for pubs, bars and restaurants, not to mention additional red tape and administrative costs to businesses already battling against tightening margins. Retaining the national structure shows that the Government has listened to businesses and opted for a common-sense approach.
“What we would like to see now is further action by the Government, looking at the business rates and alcohol duty burdens faced by licensed hospitality businesses, to create a fairer, more flexible marketplace for pubs, bars and restaurants to continue contributing to their local economies.”
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