The alcohol licensing system in Northern Ireland: Lessons learnt from a restrictive framework

Abstract

Background The alcohol licensing system in Northern Ireland (NI) stipulates that a new pub or off-licence can only open if an existing pub or off-licence closes and ‘surrenders’ its licence. In 2022, the NI Department for Communities commissioned a statutory, independent review of this system. This paper summarizes key findings, highlighting suboptimal outcomes and identifying lessons for future licensing design. Methods A mixed-method study, including: manual analysis of licensing records; geospatial mapping of outlet density; interviews with national and local stakeholders; community focus groups; and observational visits to outlets in selected areas. Results Our study identified a range of suboptimal outcomes, including: a persistent increase in numbers of off-licences relative to pubs; the de facto operation of licences as private assets; monopolization of supply by international producers; lack of outlet diversity; widespread anti-competitive practices, including use of objections to extract payment; weak enforcement and limited scope to revoke licences. Conclusion While capping specific outlet types, the ‘surrender principle’ produces outcomes that benefit incumbent businesses and large producers, while doing little to promote public health or support diverse social spaces. Several lessons can be learnt to support better regulation in similar legal environments elsewhere.