A Lawyer Writes

HEALTH WARNING (and it’s not really (but it is) a Covid 19 one) – ANYTHING IN THIS ARTICLE THAT REFERS TO “THE LEGAL POSITION” WILL PROBABLY BE WRONG BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS (which is why this contains no legal advice whatsoever!)

Those of us who are getting long in the tooth will remember February 2005. The “transition period” (yes, we had one back then as well) was about to start and we were all waiting with baited breath for the detailed regulations, forms etc.

They arrived all at once and then panic set in – we “only” had 6 months to do countless applications and by the end of it, nervous breakdowns were the order of the day.

How now I look back and wonder what all the fuss was about? Here we are (as I write) at the tail end of 2020 and never has there been such a number of Acts, Regulations, guidance and heaven alone knows what else, all affecting the licensed trade and events, particularly those staged outdoors. To make matters worse, what applies in the four nations of the (once) United Kingdom is different and even within those nations, what you could do in one place you couldn’t do in another (I recall saying in one Zoom Webinar – “and if you’re in Wales, forget it, you can’t do anything”) and to cap it all, everything changes at the drop of a hat (and will no doubt continue to do so). With each incarnation of new regulations, they got longer (the last one was 70 pages long and I bet the next will be even more voluminous).

I am of course one of the lucky ones – no furlough, not (and please let these not be famous last words)

contracted the virus, only had to self-isolate once, managed to work from home throughout (but I did have to build a summer house for my wife to work in as I had appropriated her “home office”), instructions have continued (I am amazed at how many people thought it was a good time to invest in a new restaurant or bar) and of course Zoom, Teams and Skype etc (other video conferencing facilities are available).

Some of the clouds have had silver linings – virtually no commuting and virtual hearings, all from the comfort of our newest branch office called “my home”. In that sense, long might things continue – why spend hours travelling to some God-forsaken place like (redacted by editor) to spend hours waiting in some draughty corridor to “attend” a licensing hearing when the tech makes all of that unnecessary and as long as I put on a shirt, tie and pour the wine into a coffee mug, life can be that much more civilised and comfortable?

Seriously though, my heart goes out to all my clients, indeed friends, in the industry who have been through so much this last year. That said, the overwhelming feeling at the NOEA 2020 virtual convention was one of positivity, creative thinking and “we won’t let this beat us” (and that was before the vaccines were announced).

Back in 2005, we didn’t let the challenge beat us and we got everyone licensed (just!); with any luck at all, the same spirit will be alive and kicking in 2021 and outdoor events will be back with a vengeance and bigger and better than ever before. I look forward to seeing you there (and not courtesy of Zoom).

Philip Day