CCTV for Pubs

Concerns have been raised by pub landlords and the public that council licensing authorities have been making CCTV a legal condition of every pub license.

To tackle the problem, the Government has announced that the blanket use of surveillance in pubs will end and replaced with a policy providing better balance between privacy and security.

Community Pubs Minister, Brandon Lewis MP, commented that:

CCTV has a role to play in stopping and deterring crime in anti-social behaviour hotspots. But well-run community pubs that don't have a public order problem shouldn't be tarred with the same brush.

The public deserves to have a pint in peace in a community pub without being snooped on. This government has called time on Big-Brother's secret, intrusive and costly rules that has forced pub landlords to pay to install CCTV where it was not needed.

The use of surveillance cameras should only be used if it is necessary and where it has public support.

Big Brother Watch commented:

It is only right that people should be able to enjoy a quiet pint without being constantly recorded on camera. This announcement brings some long overdue common sense to a situation where councils were driving up the cost of a pint by demanding pubs spend thousands of pounds on CCTV where there are no problems to deal with.

Our privacy is too important to be undermined by a tick-box on a licensing form and I'm sure landlords across the country will join me in raising a glass to Eric Pickles and Brandon Lewis for defending people's local pubs from needless surveillance cameras.

A lap dancing club has avoided having its opening hours slashed despite police concerns over a string of violent episodes.

Instead, Angels Gentlemen's Club in West Bromwich has been ordered to stick to a number of conditions after a hearing by licensing chiefs.

The club was hauled before a panel after police said it wanted the club to close at midnight after a number of late-night assaults, including a fight that left one man with a fractured cheekbone and a vicious robbery.

In a separate incident, a member of staff had a baseball bat. But at yesterday's meeting an agreement was reached to allow the club to remain open until 4am on Friday and Saturday nights provided bosses stick to stringent new rules.

Customers must be scanned by metal detectors and searched by staff, while lighting and CCTV must be installed on the car park.

A record of door staff must also be kept, and groups of five people or more will be refused entry unless they agree to have details of their identification taken.