{"id":495490,"date":"2025-10-13T06:46:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T06:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/495490\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T06:46:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T06:46:18","slug":"why-were-backing-our-pubs-but-will-fight-plans-to-scrap-licensing-application-notices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/495490\/","title":{"rendered":"Why we\u2019re backing our pubs but will fight plans to scrap licensing application notices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Proposed changes exclude local people from decisions that affect their daily lives&#8221;<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/article27457022.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s338a\/0_Maria-breslin-headshot.png\" alt=\"Maria Breslin\" class=\"AuthorBio_bio-image-figure__aHRRv\" loading=\"eager\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Maria was appointed editor of the Liverpool Echo in 2020 having previously worked as head of news and digital.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1_Beergate-allegations.jpg\" alt=\"Keir Starmer's government is planning a change to alcohol licensing\" loading=\"eager\"  \/>Keir Starmer&#8217;s government is planning a change to alcohol licensing(Image: PA)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">Liverpool is famous for its nightlife. It\u2019s why we\u2019re regularly <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/whats-on\/whats-on-news\/liverpool-named-time-outs-top-30843650\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">named among the best UK destinations for a city break<\/a> while our party reputation plays a big part in attracting so many young people to our universities. It\u2019s why we are always spoiled for choice when looking for the perfect pub to catch up with friends, enjoy a quiz night or watch the football and why there\u2019s always a new place to try.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\"><a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">The Liverpool Echo<\/a> is a huge supporter of our city region\u2019s night-time economy and the first to appreciate the challenges the hospitality sector faces in the current climate with rising costs and cash-challenged customers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">A quick browse of <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/whats-on\/\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">our vibrant What\u2019s On platform<\/a> shows how the Echo truly champions new ventures and the sadness when old favourites feel the pinch and close their doors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">We truly love Liverpool and are proud to see our night-time economy flourish outside the city centre. From <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/whats-on\/whats-on-news\/17-lark-lane-bars-pubs-31647729\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">old favourites like Lark Lane<\/a> and <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/whats-on\/food-drink-news\/step-aside-lark-lane-heres-32555519\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Waterloo\u2019s St John\u2019s Road<\/a> to the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/news\/liverpool-news\/unique-pub-crawl-offers-incredible-30238696\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">burgeoning bar scene in New Brighton<\/a> and the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/whats-on\/food-drink-news\/like-pub-crawl-great-bars-30586614\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">rebirth of Walton Vale<\/a> it\u2019s great to see local venues both survive and thrive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">It\u2019s why we back some of the sensible proposals to support the hospitality industry recommended by the government\u2019s Licensing Taskforce as part of its review of the Licensing Act 2003.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">However, as a news brand, as well as celebrating everything our city has to offer, we are committed to keeping our print readers and online audience informed about what\u2019s happening in the communities we call home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">That\u2019s why plans to scrap laws requiring alcohol licensing notices to be published in printed local newspapers such as the Liverpool Echo are a real concern.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">Launched on October 9 by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and business secretary Peter Kyle the proposals mean plans to open a new pub or nightclub, or for an existing venue to change its opening hours, would no longer be publicised within our communities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">I love my local pub but I\u2019d want to know if it was planning to extend its opening hours because I might have something to say. And these changes really do remove our right to know what is happening on our doorsteps and exclude local people from decisions that affect their daily lives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">Because these notices give residents a voice on new venues opening up, changes to licensing hours, or proposed developments that may impact local amenities. Axing them will have a huge impact on accountability in local decision-making.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">We know the Liverpool Echo is a lifeline and a trusted source for many readers who choose to buy our newspaper &#8211; not just for articles on news and sport but for the births, marriages and deaths and the information found in our public notices section.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">It\u2019s why we joined forces with other publishers to launch a <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/publicnoticeportal.uk\/\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Public Notices Portal<\/a> so our vast online audience has access to the same vital information that can impact their lives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">And it\u2019s why Liverpool Echo journalists report from licensing hearings revealing the safety concerns which led <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/news\/liverpool-news\/safety-concerns-deny-venue-opposite-32244825\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">to a venue opposite Everton\u2019s new Hill Dickinson stadium<\/a> being denied an alcohol licence, how a Liverpool bar compared to <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/news\/liverpool-news\/bar-like-school-disco-gone-31438497\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">a \u201cschool disco gone wrong\u201d <\/a>was stripped of its licence after selling alcohol to 16-year-olds and why <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/news\/liverpool-news\/shouts-get-lads-brawl-outside-32542964\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">a brawl outside a Seaforth pub<\/a> saw its licence temporarily suspended.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">The Liverpool Echo will be fighting these proposals. Not because we don\u2019t support our hospitality sector, we do. Pubs, like news brands, play a huge part in community cohesion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"liverpoolecho\">But we believe our readers have a right to know what\u2019s happening where they live, which is why we\u2019re telling ministers they must change course and commit to keeping public notices in highly trusted local newspapers like the Echo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"&#8220;Proposed changes exclude local people from decisions that affect their daily lives&#8221; Maria was appointed editor of the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":495491,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8815],"tags":[748,393,4884,179,58349,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-495490","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-liverpool","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-liverpool","12":"tag-public-notices","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115365517371953883","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}