Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of Business In Sport and Leisure (BISL) has said that, as the first anniversary of the Liquor Licensing Act 2003 approaches, the UK has not seen “the disorder expected”.

Speaking at the Leisure Property Forum (LPF) and BISL Breakfast Meeting in Central London today (12 October), Simmonds said that although nightclubs had seen revenues hit and that there are still cultural issues regarding drinking, the new act gave “flexibility to the market” and has allowed over-saturation in the High Street to “sort itself out”.

She raised questions however about the exclusion of restaurants from the Alcohol Disorder Zones proposal – part of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill that is currently going through parliament – saying: “Why are restaurants exempt from paying when health clubs [with bars] are not?”

Hugh Siegle, chair of BISL’s Property Working Group, and Clive Betts, Labour MP and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Leisure Group, also spoke at the breakfast.

Siegle questioned the necessity of the Planning Gain Supplement – presently being discussed by a select committee – and called for not-for-profit organisations to be exempt from it. He also claimed that the Roof Tax scheme, which is being trialled in Milton Keynes, is a better route as it offers developers more certainty about project costs.

Betts spoke only briefly, but said that while Tony Blair was “likely” to leave next June and that “presumably” Gordon Brown will takeover as Prime Minister, there is unlikely to be any major change in Labour policy. Details: www.bisl.org