Liberal Democrats in Haringey have expressed deep concerns about the impact on public safety of the new 24-hour licensing system. Earlier this month Lynne Featherstone MP (Hornsey and Wood Green) uncovered figures showing an 18% increase nationally in alcohol related deaths.

An analysis of the applications made in Haringey to extend opening hours by the Lib Dem Spokesperson on Policing and Community Safety Cllr Ron Aitken has revealed that over 70 of the borough’s pubs are applying to increase their hours.

Alexandra Palace has applied to sell alcohol 24 hrs a day for functions and many other clubs, shops, restaurant, nightclubs and cinemas have applied to extend their hours.

According to information supplied to Cllr Aitken by Haringey Council a total of 657 applications have been made, of which over half of them are current licensees having to re-apply for their current licence following new legislation.

Cllr Aitken says that the governments new licensing laws has created a huge amount of paperwork for local councils and extra red-tape for businesses who are both renewing and extending current licences. He is also deeply concerned at the extra strain that extended hours will put on police in London.

Cllr Aitken (Crouch End) comments:

“These applications will be controversial and local residents will be very concerned about off-licences selling alcohol 24 hours a day.

“There will be a danger of people who have already consumed a lot of alcohol in a pub or club gravitating to small family-run off licences. There are also a large number of applications to extend existing pub and bar hours and the overall picture is worrying in terms of police resources at a time when the Met is already stretched.”

Breakdown of licence applications in Haringey so far:

330-shops and off-licenses converting existing licence
40-shop and off licences varying their licence
24 pubs converting existing licence
74 pubs varying their licence
114 restaurants converting
12 restaurants varying
21 club premises converting
16 club premises varying
1 nightclub converting
19 nightclub varying
2 cinemas converting
1 cinema varying