Recommendation to reform licensing ‘surrender principle’ rejected by Lyons

A recommendation to reform the “surrender principle” in Northern Ireland’s licensing laws has been rejected by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.

The principle states that those wishing to obtain a pub or off-sales licence in the region must surrender a subsisting licence, capping the number of such licences available.

Trade body Hospitality Ulster welcomed the minister’s decision as “pragmatic” and said it provided certainty for the sector.

The Independent Review on Liquor Licensing in Northern Ireland was published earlier this year and contained 26 recommendations, a number of which have been accepted.

Providing his response to the report, Mr Lyons told the Assembly that the licensing regime plays a role in assisting the hospitality sector.

He added: “Our licensed premises are vital to the Northern Ireland economy.

“They support tourism, provide employment, and serve as important social spaces in our communities.

“That is why I have decided not to accept the authors’ recommendation for targeted reform of the surrender principle.

“These changes could have significant and unintended consequences on the economic viability of our hospitality sector at a time when many are operating below viability thresholds.”

Mr Lyons said his decision was not a “rejection of progress”.

He said: “The report has also provided my department with the opportunity to consider how the regime can be further improved and modernised.”

Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said the minister’s decision “provides certainty for an industry that has faced enormous challenges”.

He added: “The surrender principle remains essential to supporting an independent-rich sector, providing stability for business owners and supporting wider public health goals.

“The recommendations of this report only added to the uncertainty felt by hospitality operators, risking investment, jobs and the long-term sustainability of our pubs, and their rejection is good news for the industry.

“At a time when many pubs are struggling to survive, it is right that the focus should be on supporting those businesses, not on the hypothetical creation of new ones or expensive unnecessary quangos.

“This decision allows us to focus on the real issues that are threatening the survival of pubs across Northern Ireland, and it is not the lack of additional pubs.”