PLACES OF REFRESHMENT ( JERSEY ) LAW, 1967
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion -
TO EXTEND THE LATEST PERMITTED HOURS
REPORT
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The purpose of the amendment to the Places of Refreshment Law is to extend the latest permitted hours from 1 am to 2.30 am.
Background
For some considerable time certain premises licensed under the above Law have been asking for an extension to the permitted hours to allow them to trade in line with the Liquor Licensing extension granted to a number of venues. The Comité des Connétables was consulted in 2005. It was mindful of the noise and disruption that could possibly arise from this but was prepared to recommend that the hours were extended from 0100 to 0230 if the respective Constable of the Parish considered it appropriate; it remains of the same mind.
Senator Ben Shenton wrote to the Minister in November 2006 asking that the extension of the permitted hours be reviewed again; a letter from the Head of Operations, States of Jersey Police dated 22nd August 2006 was attached confirming that an extension to the hours could well assist in staggering the number of persons wanting to leave town in the early hours and as such they would have no objections.
The present Law allows the Minister and the Connétables a degree of flexibility in that it states under Article 13:
13. Permitted hours
(3) Subject to Articles 10 and 11, the Minister may –
(a) attach a condition to the registration, or the renewal of registration, of any premises at which, or on part of which, meals or refreshments are sold for consumption off the premises, requiring those premises, or that part to be closed earlier than at the latest of the permitted hours;
(b) if satisfied, after consultation with the Conn étable of the parish concerned, that it is desirable to do so in order to avoid unreasonable disturbance to persons residing in the neighbourhood of any registered premises, at any time, attach a condition to the registration of those premises requiring them to be closed earlier than the latest of the permitted hours.
(10) Nothing in this Article shall be taken as requiring registered premises to be open for the serving of customers throughout the permitted hours.
It is recommended that the permitted hours be extended from 0100 to 0230 but that all premises will retain their present opening and closing hours until such time any extension is considered by the respective Connétable and other relevant States Departments. In this way each application can be considered on its merits and no ‘blanket increase’ in opening times will occur.
Peta Philo
Hospitality and Leisure Manager
24 September 2007