Minister's reject NI licensing review derailing nightlife reforms

It has been reported that Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has decided to reject the key recommendations of the Independent Licensing Review. Something that was brought to him by his own department. The review proposed which aimed to introduce a wide range of improvements to modernise the region’s restrictive licensing framework.

The Review, which cost £478,000 in public funds, has key suggestions of opening up the occasional licensing system, easing access for community groups and independent promoters, and creating a new cultural licence category designed to support grassroots organisers and non-profit cultural activity.

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A group that was disappointed in the result is Free The Night, which had been campaigning for the licensing review, said, "The Minister’s response leaves the sector exactly where they were before." And with the surrender principle, in which the existing licence is to be given up before a new one can be granted, still in effect, things continue to stay restrictive. 

The rejection mostly harms independent promoters, artists, community organisers and other contributors who took part in the Review’s evidence-gathering process. However, this does not stop the mission, as Free The Night is continuing to fight for the modernisation of NI nightlife by raising concerns to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and other regulatory bodies. Free The Night will also continue to work with councils, community organisations, academics and elected representatives to push for the reforms the Review called for.

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Header image credit: Aleksandar Pasaric / Facebook.com