On Monday 25 April, Parliament passed an order to extend
licensing hours in pubs, clubs and bars across England and Wales
from 11pm to 1am to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum
Jubilee. The extension will cover Thursday 2 June to Saturday 4
June, providing the opportunity for people to continue their
celebrations of this historic milestone over the bank holiday,
The Home Secretary, under Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003,
can make an order relaxing licensing hours to mark occasions of
“exceptional national significance”. The Platinum Jubilee is an
historic national occasion, and the licensing hours extension
will coincide with the extended bank holiday.
Home Secretary, , said:
For 70 years Her Majesty The Queen has served the UK and the
Commonwealth with the utmost dignity, steadfastness and resolve.
The Platinum Jubilee is a truly historic national occasion, which
will see families, friends and communities across the country
come together to celebrate this unprecedented landmark in a
remarkable reign.
Over the extended bank holiday weekend, we will be able to raise
a glass to toast Her Majesty’s incredible service to our country,
while also providing a boost to the hospitality industry after a
challenging couple of years.
Following a public consultation, the government agreed with the
majority of respondents that the order should not extend to
premises which sell alcohol for consumption off the premises,
such as off-licences and supermarkets.
The consultation also received support from the National Police
Chiefs’ Council and National Association of Licensing and
Enforcement Officers.
