Cheap drinks summit

Pub and bar owners have met with Oldham Council to persuade it to abandon a plan to crackdown on all town centre venues.

The trade has reacted to the authority’s plans to review all 22 town centre licences, which could mean an end to promotions.

Both the British Beer and Pub Association and Noctis, a group which represents five night-time traders, say they had constructive meetings with the council.

But afterwards. Noctis’s executive director Paul Smith told a trade newspaper that it was confident of winning if the council takes legal action.

The review follows national publicity after a £5.99 all-you-can-drink promotion in January at the Tokyo Oldham club.

Under the Licensing Act 2003, councils can impose strict conditions on how drinks promotions are run but cannot ban them altogether or control prices.

Oldham’s director of Trading Standards, Tony Allen, said: “We had a constructive and positive meeting in which the council made it clear that the licensed trade had to take more responsibility.”

Lee LeClerq, of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We are seeking to find a solution to Oldham’s difficulties and assisting Oldham in what ever way we can.”

Noctis has suggested a Best Bar None scheme which was devised by Greater Manchester Police in 2003 and aims to promote responsible management, improve and raise standards and recognise and reward good practice.