Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021

Permitted hours

Removal of additional restrictions at Easter

30.—(1) In Article 24 of the Registration of Clubs Order (general permitted hours), in paragraph (1)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (a), omit “Good Friday or”, and

(b) omit sub-paragraph (b) and the following “and”.

(2) In paragraph (2) of that Article—

(a) in sub-paragraph (a)(i), omit “Good Friday or”,

(b) omit sub-paragraph (a)(ii), and

(c) omit sub-paragraph (b) and the following “and”.

(3) In Article 25 of the Registration of Clubs Order (consumption of liquor after permitted hours), omit sub-paragraph (b) and the preceding “or”.

(4) In Article 26 of the Registration of Clubs Order (authorisations for special occasions), in paragraph (3), omit “, Easter Day or Good Friday”.

Removal of restrictions on late opening on Sunday

31.—(1) In Article 24 of the Registration of Clubs Order (general permitted hours), in paragraph (1)—

(a) after sub-paragraph (a) and the following “and” insert—

“(aa) on Sundays other than Christmas Day, from half past 12 in the afternoon to 11 in the evening; and”, and

(b) in sub-paragraph (c), omit “Sunday or”.

(2) In Article 26 of the Registration of Clubs Order (authorisations for special occasions), in paragraph (1)(a), for paragraphs (ii) and (iii) (but not the “or” following paragraph (iii)) substitute—

“(ii) on Sundays, from 11 in the evening to 1 in the morning of the day next following,”.

Extension of “drinking-up time”

32.—(1) In Article 25 of the Registration of Clubs Order (consumption after permitted hours of liquor supplied during those hours), the text of which becomes paragraph (1), in sub-paragraph (a), for “30 minutes” substitute “60 minutes”.

(2) After paragraph (1) of that Article insert—

“(2) Regulations may modify paragraph (1)(a) so as to substitute “30 minutes” for “60 minutes”.

(3) Regulations may not be made under paragraph (2) unless a draft of the regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.”.

Increase in number of authorisations for special occasions

33.—(1) In Article 26 of the Registration of Clubs Order (authorisation for special occasions), in paragraph (2), for “85” substitute “104”.

(2) After paragraph (2) of that Article insert—

“(2A) Regulations may modify paragraph (2) so as to substitute a different number of authorisations for the number for the time being specified there.

(2B) Regulations may not be made under paragraph (2A) unless a draft of the regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.”.

(3) After paragraph (4) of that Article insert—

“(5) A person who intends to make an application under this Article shall—

(a) during the 3 weeks before the first occasion to which the application relates, cause notice of the application to be displayed on or near the premises of the club;

(b) not less than 3 weeks before that time, serve a copy of the notice of the application on the district council for the district in which the premises of the club are situated.

(6) The notice under paragraph (5) must contain such information as may be prescribed by magistrates’ courts rules.

(7) The following provisions of this Article apply where a complaint is made to a court of summary jurisdiction under Part 8 of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 on the grounds—

(a) that the business carried on in the premises of the club is being conducted during the hours mentioned in paragraph (1) or any period immediately following their termination in such a manner as to cause undue inconvenience to persons residing in the vicinity of the premises; or

(b) that such hours are causing undue inconvenience to persons residing in the vicinity of the premises.

(8) Where the court is satisfied that the grounds of the complaint are made out, it may—

(a) revoke the authorisation; or

(b) modify the authorisation or, in relation to the authorisation, the hours mentioned in paragraph (1); or

(c) make the continuance of the authorisation subject to such terms and conditions as the court thinks fit.

(9) The terms and conditions which may be imposed under paragraph (8)(c) include those requested by the district commander of the police district in which the premises of the club are situated.”.

Major events

34.—(1) After Article 26 of the Registration of Clubs Order (but before the following cross-heading), insert—

“Major event orders

Extension of permitted hours for major events

26A.— (1) Where the Department considers that an event which is to take place in Northern Ireland will attract significant public interest (whether throughout Northern Ireland or in certain areas only), it may make an order (a “major event order”) which—

(a) designates the event as a major event, and

(b) provides that, during the period specified in the order, the permitted hours for registered clubs to which the order applies are the hours specified in the order.

(2) A major event order may apply to all registered clubs in Northern Ireland as a whole or in the area or areas specified.

(3) In specifying an area for the purposes of paragraph (2), a major event order may in particular do so by reference to the place or premises at which the event is to take place or the area in the vicinity of the place or premises.

(4) A major event order may impose conditions.

(5) The Department may vary or revoke a major event order; and the circumstances in which it may revoke an order include, in a case where the period specified under paragraph (1)(b) includes two or more days, circumstances in which it considers it necessary to do so because of disorder, or expected disorder, at or in the vicinity of the place or premises at which the event is taking place.

(6) The period specified in a major event order may not include Christmas Day.

(7) The hours specified in a major event order have effect in addition to the hours permitted by any authorisation under Article 26 which applies to a registered club to which the major event order applies.

(8) A major event order may make consequential, incidental or supplementary provision (including provision which modifies provisions of this Order for the purpose of giving effect to the major event order).

(9) Before making a major event order, the Department must consult such persons as it considers appropriate.

(10) Any person acting in contravention of a condition imposed by a major event order is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.”.

(2) In Article 2 of the Registration of Clubs Order (interpretation), in paragraph (2), in the definition of “permitted hours”, for “Article 26” substitute “Articles 26 and 26A”.

(3) In Part 1 of Schedule 6 to the Registration of Clubs Order (penalty points for offences punishable with level 3 fine) at the appropriate place insert—

“26A(10)

Contravening condition of major event order

3-4”