UK pubs granted extended licensing for takeaway pints

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【Summary】UK pubs in England and Wales will be allowed to continue selling takeaway pints as the government extends licensing rules from the pandemic era. The rules, which were set to expire in September, have been extended to support the struggling hospitality industry. This means businesses won't need additional licenses for off-site sales. The move comes as pubs face challenges such as rising costs and declining sales.

FutureCar Staff Aug 14, 2023 7:29 AM PT

UK pubs granted extended licensing for takeaway pints

Pubs in England and Wales will now be able to continue offering takeaway pints, as the government has decided to extend the licensing rules that were implemented during the pandemic. These rules allowed businesses to serve customers through hatches even when they were forced to close in 2020 due to Covid-19.

The initial plan was for these rules to expire in September, but according to a report in the Sun on Sunday, Rishi Sunak has chosen to extend them. The Prime Minister has acknowledged the importance of takeaway pints for the British pub industry and the positive impact they have on the economy.

This move was originally intended to support the struggling hospitality industry by boosting sales during the pandemic, and it has already been extended twice. As a result, businesses will not have to go through the process of requesting an additional license from local councils for off-site sales.

However, many pubs and bars continue to face challenges in recovering from the pandemic. Rising energy and other costs, along with concerns about declining sales during the cost-of-living crisis, have made it difficult for these establishments to bounce back.

The decision to extend the rules comes after Sunak faced heckling during a visit to a beer festival where he was promoting changes to the alcohol duty regime. These changes will result in increased taxes on a variety of drinks. Despite this, Sunak has emphasized that the reforms are aimed at supporting British pubs and that both businesses and consumers will ultimately benefit.

The new system, which was initially proposed by Sunak when he was chancellor in 2021, is designed to encourage individuals to reduce their alcohol consumption by taxing all drinks based on their strength.