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27
Licensing Act 1964
Throughout the year inspections have been made of all premises where notification has been received in
the department of impending alterations at licensed premises or where applications for new licences had
been made for the sale of alcoholic beverages.
The Licensing Justices have continued to co-operate fully with public health inspectors engaged on these
duties, and this has been very much appreciated. In appropriate cases the Justices have deferred the grant of
a licence until adverse conditions have been rectified. The financial loss associated with the delay in the
grant of a licence to sell intoxicating liquor can be considerable, and it is noticeable that previously
apathetic proprietors have been galvanized into action in carrying out essential works when the issue of a
licence is in suspension.
The report of the Departmental Committee on Liquor Licensing (known as the Erroll Report) was
published towards the end of the year. The intention of the proposals envisages greater participation by a
local authority in the granting of licences for the sale of intoxicating liquor. If the local authority felt
unable on grounds of planning, public safety, sanitation, food hygiene or compliance with building
regulations requirements, to concur in the application it would be empowered to withhold the necessary
certificate of suitability, in which case the Justices would be unable to grant a liquor licence. At present
the grounds for objection by the Health Department are confined to lack of suitable sanitary accommodation,
or in the terms of Part IV of the 1964 Act, that the premises are not "structurally adapted" for the
preparation of the "customary main meals".
Should the Erroll Report receive statutory approval in essentially its present form additional work will
inevitably result from its operation.
Inspections were also made throughout the year at those premises where application had been made to
the Magistrates' Court for a Club Registration Certificate or the renewal of an existing Certificate for a
further period. No objections were raised to the applications received.
Licensed Street Traders
At the commencement of the year it was hoped with reasonable optimism that the difficulties experienced
in association with the provision of a suitable stall for use by street traders to comply with the
requirements of the Food Hygiene (Markets, Stalls & Delivery Vehicles) Regulations, 1966, had at last been
resolved. The prototype was examined by the Public Health Inspector (Food Control) and some minor
alterations were suggested to the manufacturer who agreed to put them in hand.
Regrettably it has to be reported that the firm concerned suddenly ceased business. Another firm took
over the fibre glass moulds and a further two stalls were supplied to fruit and vegetable traders in the
City. However, the response has been generally disappointing. Efforts by their own Association to
encourage certain traders to purchase stalls were equally unsuccessful, it being the general opinion that
unless suitable storage accommodation can be provided, traders are not prepared to expend capital on new
stalls. Labour costs and materials have increased since the beginning of the year and itsis a matter of
concern that the situation may soon be reached where the cost of the provision of a suitable stall will not
only be an uneconomical proposition for the manufacturer, but may also be beyond the financial
capability of the trader himself.
The question of storage space for stalls is a vexing one. High land values often make the incorporation
of storage facilities for stalls in new developments an uneconomic factor, and the City Council has no
legal obligation to make such a provision. However, it is virtually impossible for an individual street trader
to find even minimal storage accommodation for his stall and food stocks in the City. Even if he is
fortunate enough to do so, it is unlikely that the statutory facilities would be available or could even be
installed. A number of traders therefore have to share already inadequate accommodation or even leave
their stalls in the street overnight where they can be subjected to abuse.
Until such times as suitable stalls — and associated facilities — are acquired by traders to replace the
present outmoded vehicles used, it is impracticable for them to comply with the requirements of the abvoementioned
Regulations. However, routine examination of stalls selling foodstuffs has been undertaken
during the year to ensure that the standards of hygiene being maintained were commensurate with the
limited facilities available.