A constant recurring complaint within the Night Time Economy. Litter is the level of waste outside Licensed Premises. However, when it is justified, the outcomes can be unpleasant and, on some occasions, can cause very real public nuisance and public health issues by attracting pests and vermin.
Examples of this include:
- Discarded uneaten food
- Broken glass and cans
- Discarded food wrappings
- Overflowing refuse and cigarette butt bins.
There are already a number of laws and bye-laws regarding the proper disposal and/or the storage of waste which you should be familiar with. But let us be clear on one thing from the outset – Whilst customers are responsible for their own behaviour, you as Licensees and Designated Premises Supervisors should be adopting systems that mitigate that harm. Here are a few things for you to consider…
- Take pride in your Premises! Carry out regular checks of the outside of your Premises and clear away any litter as soon as you can after it is dropped. This will discourage other people adding to the litter when they see someone else’s dropped rubbish.
- Encourage your customers to discard their refuse responsibly by putting up posters and signs, and emptying bins and ashtrays as soon as they are full.
- Regularly collect unattended open bottles and empty glasses – to cut down on an otherwise massive job at the end of the night.
- Provide an appropriate amount of open, clean, accessible and attractive toilets at your premises. Check them regularly. Maintain soap and towel dispensers properly and empty the bins.
- Reduce the amount of packaging provided to customers, and only use packaging that easily bio-degradable, where possible.
- Recycle bottles and cans wherever possible. Record what you are doing so that you can counter any subsequent challenges from the Authorities or Pressure Groups.
- Cut down on your use of promotional leaflets and publicity giveaways. If you must, then place leaflets directly into the hands of customers rather than leaving it under windscreen wipers. After all, there is nothing more disheartening than seeing your expensive publicity material blowing around and away down the street at the end of the night.
☝️ Your Premises Licence, and especially your Temporary Events Notice, permits you to sell alcohol by retail and put on licensable activities.
It does NOT permit you to make a public nuisance of yourself 🤣
☝️ Activities can cause a nuisance at any time of the day or night, and therefore it is essential that you put in place control measures to limit any nuisance that could ensue.
☝️ For specific events, it may be required or advisable to create an Event Management Plan to help you manage many issues such as Public Nuisance (see below).
☝️ Not all the recommendations included above may be relevant to your operation, so this list is not exhaustive. Therefore…
Someone dishing the dirt? Better Call Paul!
Our advice is always free.
✅ You can download a templated Litter Check Log for free from the TLG Vault.
✅ You can download a templated Event Management Plan for free from the TLG Vault.