Tough Wolverhampton licensing rules to be extended

An existing restricted licensing zone in Wolverhampton city centre will be extended, and zones will be introduced in Wednesfield, Dudley Road, Bilston and Avion Centre.

The new rules will be rolled out next year in all four areas as the council tries to reduce alcohol-related crime and nuisance behaviour.

The move comes after the zone in Wolverhampton city centre, introduced as part of the Wolverhampton Alcohol Strategy in November 2009, was hailed a success.

Originally limited to seven streets in the city centre, it meant that businesses on those streets that applied for alcohol licences from the council had to show that the sale of alcohol would not add to crime and public nuisance.

However, as part of the project it was presumed that all applications from clubs, pubs and bars would be automatically refused.

Those with existing licences would have to do the same if they applied to make any changes to their licence.

Wolverhampton City Council's licensing committee will discuss the draft proposal on Wednesday. If approved, it will go out for consultation, and the new rules could be in place as early as April if the full council gives it the green light.

As well as extending the Wolverhampton zone to include additional areas south of the city centre, new zones will be established in Bilston, Wednesfield, and Dudley Road for both on and off-licences. It will only apply to off-licences in the Avion Centre.

When the plan was introduced five years ago it was described as a 'disaster for the city' by the Campaign for Real Ale, which believed Wolverhampton depended on a quality range of drinking establishments, and to limit the number would be a backward step.

However, council spokesman Paul Brown has said the policy had been effective in improving the quality of applications received, the majority of which had been given the go-ahead.

It also allows the authority to refuse applications that would potentially cause crime and nuisance, and the committee could require applicants take further steps, such as having security outside their bar or CCTV installed in the building, before granting new or varied licences.

Areas included in the proposed zones include:

Bilston - High Street, Pinfold Street, Church Street, Walsall Street, Hall Street, and parts of Lichfield Street, Bankfield Road and Bath Street

Wednesfield - High Street, Bentley Bridge Way, Kenmare Way, Backhouse Lane, Rookery Street, Church Street, Well Lane, Hall Street, Wednesfield Road, New Cross Ave

Dudley Road - Dudley Road and Phoenix Park

Avion Centre - Hunter Street, Bitterne Drive, and parts of Newhampton Road West and Evans Street.

The Wolverhampton zone currently covers Broad Street, Bilston Street, Lichfield Street, North Street, Pipers Row, Queen Street and Market Street.