Hackney Council postpones controversial review of club licensing regulation

Controversial plans to clamp down on new venues and bars in the London borough of Hackney are on hold after the council there said it had discovered a "minor error" in its proposals. Current licensing rules, originally due to expire next January, will be kept in place until a new consultation on reform is completed sometime next year. London promoters and clubbers had expressed concerns about the planned licensing reforms, which included a cut back on late night opening at bars and clubs, and a move to stop licensing new clubbing venues in Shoreditch entirely. Local music businesses argued that this would hugely hinder the night-time economy that has become so important to this part of the capital.

the local authority's Licensing Chair Emma Plouviez said: "Unfortunately there was a minor error in the published consultation document. Although this was not related to the part of the consultation affecting nightclub opening hours, which is what we know has caused the most concern, we want to ensure that everyone who takes the time to respond to any council consultation can have confidence that they did so with the full facts" adding "We needed to decide whether to correct the mistake and extend the current consultation, or take the opportunity to take a step back and re-consult on a new draft policy that we hope both residents and businesses will be able to support".