Government confirms extended hours for licensed premises to mark 75th anniversary of VE Day

“The Government has confirmed that pubs, clubs and bars in England & Wales which are licensed to trade until 11pm, will be allowed to open for an additional two hours, on Friday 8 May and Saturday 9 May until 1am the following morning, to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

The order, laid in Parliament yesterday, will also apply to premises licensed to provide regulated entertainment such as music, dances, plays and films.

The benefit is that any licensed premises with relevant permissions where the terminal hour ends before 01:00 will not need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice to extend the hours to 01:00.

As you may be aware, the early May bank holiday has been moved from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May to mark the anniversary.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:
“VE Day events across the country will see the nation come together to pay tribute to the heroes who fought for our freedom and supported the war effort at home. Pubs are at the heart of our communities and this is a great opportunity to raise a glass to mark this historic occasion.”

The decision mirrors similar extensions which were granted by the Government for previous national occasions such as the Royal Wedding. Jubilee and FIFA World Cup.

As with similar orders granted by the Government, it will be very important to carefully consider the exact terms of your premises licence and the impact the order will have on this.

We will provide further details in due course in respect of the Order details and relevant criteria for licensed premises wishing to benefit from the extended permissions.

In the meantime, this is welcome news for the trade and (more) cause for VE Day celebrations.

if you would like to understand how this may affect your business and the options available to you, please contact licensing solicitor Suraj Desor on s.desor@popall.co.uk or call 0115 953 8500”

To watch a relevant YouTube clip, click here