Opening Time
WE mentioned last week how unwise it is to pay too much attention to promises made in the Queen's Speech. the Bills when published so often turn out not to be reforms, but simplY tidyings-up, of past legislation. This is certainlY the case With the licensing Bill, published last week, and disingenuously defended by the Home Secretary in a patty political broadcast on tele- vision. Inevitably, the Bill reflects his chronic fear of being thought revolutionary. Instead of accepting the principle that adults ought to be allowed to buy themselves alcoholic drinks at anY time of the day or night (so long as they can find a pub-owner willing to stay up to serve them) the Bill retains most of the old, stupid restrictions, merely seeking to rationalise them so that the times at which we can expect to be refused a drink will be the same, or almost the same. every- where in the country. True, the Bill does have some liberalising clauses. if it goes through,- people will be able to buy drink to take away, from off-licences, at hours when the pubs are closed: and there arc various provisions which will make it easier for the tippler, provided he has the means, to find places-to drink after hours. Bat to support a half- way Bill of this kind on the grounds that it will do a little good is unwise. The benefit is bought at a price : it means that there is unlikely to be any further licensing legislation for years, so we will be stuck with the old restrictions indeflnitelY.
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