'Persuasive arguments' for bar ban

Adam Hewitt • Published 6 Aug 2010 18:30 0 Comments

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A RADICAL 'ban’ on new bars and clubs in the town centre is just one step away from being implemented.

Reading’s licensing panel voted through the policy shift at its meeting on Wednesday, with support from the police and town centre businesses, but in the face of objections from Pubwatch chairman and drinks industry consultant Bill Donne. The change means that within the town centre there will be a presumption against new licence applications and bids to change opening hours for venues encouraging 'vertical drinking’.

Traditional pubs, restaurants and cafés should escape the restrictive new rule, known as a cumulative impact policy (CIP), if it is ratified by the full Reading council in October.

Business Improvement District (BID) chairman Guy Douglas, who represents 445 town centre businesses, said there were “persuasive arguments on both sides”, but the committee had come down in favour of the CIP.

But Mr Donne said CIPs in other places, such as Brighton, just displaced problem drinking areas outside the zone and are a form of “protectionism” for existing bars, which could see standards slip as they faced less new competition.

He said: “I find it hard to believe Reading Borough Council is encouraging a policy which may prevent inward investment and the creation of jobs.” Police Inspector Keith Stacey backed the change, and said: “There’s an image problem - people do not want to come into the town, they don’t feel safe. In human terms, there have been 88 more victims of violent crime in Reading this year and that is unacceptable.”

Panel member Cllr Jamie Chowdhary said the drinks industry had “lost its way” and needed to be more responsible and Cllr Peter Jones added: “The CIP doesn’t mean things will be automatically voted down - we still have the final say.”

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