MP TO INVESTIGATE VILLAGE HALL LICENSING CHANGES

9.00.00am GMT Fri 4th Mar 2005

Hereford's MP Paul Keetch is looking into changes in the licensing laws that could make it more difficult for Village Halls to serve alcohol. He met with members of the Upton Bishop Millennium Hall Committee this week and is taking up their concerns.

"Village Halls have traditionally been a place where alcohol has been served at wedding and birthday parties, but new regulations might make this more difficult", said Mr Keetch.

"Under the 2003 Act that has come in, Village Halls are allowed a certain number of Temporary Event Licences, or TENS as they are known. Upton Bishop for example is allowed twelve a year. If they want to serve alcohol on more than twelve occasions they have to find a committee member to be nominated as the Premises Supervisor. This is time consuming, would require training, and is not something most voluntary groups could find.

"Village Halls all over Herefordshire could be affected by this and I'm trying to find out how we can overcome this intensive bureaucracy. We should be encouraging the use of Village Halls in our community and not restricting them."