Drinking laws reform '˜stifled'

That’s the claim of Hospitality Ulster boss Colin Neill as he admonished MLAs for failing to act on the Liquor Licensing Review Bill.

Invited to give evidence on legislation around licencing at sporting grounds in the province, Mr Neill said he was happy to do so.

But he said the exercise “simply does not hide the fact that the Assembly has failed to introduce the much anticipated Liquor Licensing Review Bill. This would have made significant steps towards the modernisation of Northern Ireland’s archaic drinking laws. In fact, this inaction is only serving to promote irresponsible drinking.”

After sitting in a drawer through a lengthy consultation period and change of three Ministers, he said: “we need to call time on this navel gazing approach, address the legislative paralysis, and bring forward the proposals to give our industry the fresh start it deserves.”

“We simply can’t sustain this ongoing anti-business environment. We are an industry that is a significant driver of the Northern Ireland economy, and pregnant with opportunity as we grow the offer to consumers and tourists. The outmoded current legislation is simply holding us back.”