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Covid-19 Licensing Issues: Home Office cancels local authority alcohol and late night refreshement returns Published Date: 08/04/2020

The Home Office has cancelled the 2019/20 alcohol and late-night refreshment collection.

On the 3rd of April 2020, the Home indicated that the 2020 collection will go ahead despite the pressure local authorities were under dealing with the coronavirus pandemic saying: “The Home Office understands that given the unprecedented circumstances related to the ongoing Covid-19 Coronavirus outbreak, some LAs may struggle to meet the deadlines laid out for the 2019/20 return. We are continuing with the data collection on alcohol and late night refreshment licensing at present but will keep the situation under review.”

Today (08/04/2020), the Home Office wrote to licensing authorities stating: “Following our correspondence on 3rd April 2020, we have received guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association, and we will be cancelling this year’s alcohol and late night refreshment collection. The next collection will be in 2021.”

Some licensing authorities would have completed the statistical collection already. In its communication today, the Home Office also thanked these licensing authorities and apologised for the inconvenience.