MLAs to debate Northern Ireland licensing laws

By Q Radio News

The Stormont Executive will debate a bill today aimed at changing the province's licensing laws

If it's approved it means pubs and nightclubs will be able to serve alcohol for an extra hour, until 2am almost every Friday and Saturday.

Drinking-up time will be extended to an hour, meaning venues can operate until 3am at weekends.

The legislation, which is not expected to come into force until Easter 2022, also proposes removing all restrictions around Easter drinking which are in place from the Thursday before until Easter Sunday.

Current laws mean alcohol can only be served between 5pm and 11pm on Good Friday.

Bars are also forced to stop serving at midnight on Thursday and Easter Saturday.

The Department for Communities said "changing social habits and the growing importance of the tourism industry" had prompted the calls for change. 

It launched a consultation last year. 

The changes could mean supermarkets will face restrictions on where they can place in-store advertising for alcohol with the current voluntary code of practice for drinks promotions replaced with a statutory code. 

Stormont first proposed the overhaul eight years ago. 

A previous bill began working its way through the Assembly in 2016, before it collapsed in January 2017.