HOSPITALITY leaders have urged politicians to back a proposed overhaul of Jersey’s decades-old alcohol licensing laws – warning the current system is “outdated”, “cumbersome” and “not fit for purpose”.
The Jersey Hospitality Association said the reforms brought forward this week by Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel were “long overdue” and would finally remove barriers that have held businesses back for decades.
The proposals come after 16 years of attempts to modernise Jersey’s 1974 alcohol laws and reduce red tape across the sector – with the JHA saying that the changes finally offer “light at the end of the tunnel”.
Under the plans, responsibility for deciding who can sell alcohol would move from the Bailiff and Jurats to an independent regulator that already oversees gambling. The Jersey Gambling Commission would take on the role and be renamed the Alcohol and Gambling Commission.
Licence categories would also be simplified, with the existing seven reduced to two – an on-licence and an off-licence. A temporary licence for special events would be introduced so that festivals and fairs no longer require each vendor to obtain their own permit.
Responding to the publication of the draft law, the JHA’s co-chief executives Ana and Marcus Calvani said: “Reform of Jersey’s outdated alcohol licensing law has been long overdue.
“For years, local businesses have been held back by a system that is opaque, cumbersome and completely out of step with the needs of a modern visitor economy.
“We, along with many others, have pushed repeatedly for meaningful change because the current law has cost businesses time, money, creativity and opportunity. It is simply not fit for purpose.”
They added the proposed new framework is “simple, transparent, pro-business and innovation-enabling” and that existing barriers would be removed, should the new proposals be approved by the States Assembly.
“Credit must go to the Visitor Economy team in government, who have led one of the most open, collaborative and responsive policy development processes we have ever been involved in,” they added.
“The result is legislation that meets the demands of the present and unlocks the opportunities of the future. Any attempt now to weaken, delay or derail this reform would be utterly disgraceful, a step backwards that Jersey cannot afford, and wholly unjustifiable in the eyes of an industry that has waited decades for modernisation.
“We have written to our members to strongly encourage them to support it, and we hope government will now push this excellent work through with the urgency it deserves.
“We also welcome the Jersey Gambling Commission taking on the responsibility for licensing. They are independent, experienced regulators and are clearly prepared for this role.
“After so many failed attempts to reform the 1974 law, we can finally see real light at the end of the tunnel.”
The proposition is due to be debated next month. If approved by the States Assembly, the new law would not take effect before 2027.
