Home Office Research Report 04 - The impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on levels of crime and disorder: an evaluation

Key implications
Executive summary
Main report
Appendix A: Tables and charts for the case study areas
Appendix B: Technical report

The Licensing Act 2003 came into effect on the 24th November 2005 and abolished set licensing laws in England and Wales. The aim was to liberalise a rigid system whilst reducing the problems of drinking and disorder associated with a standard closing time.

The evaluation used a multi-method approach and employed both the national and local level data. A key component of the evaluation was the temporal and spatial analysis of time-stamped recorded crime data in five case study areas. This was supplemented by survey data from local residents about their perceptions of crime and qualitative interviews with regulators and representatives from night time economy businesses.

The findings suggest the overall volume of incidents of crime and disorder remains unchanged, though there are signs that crimes involving serious violence have reduced. There is, however, temporal displacement, in that the small proportion of violent crime occurring in the small hours of the morning has increased. Police, local authorities and licensees generally welcomed the new powers and the Act’s partnership philosophy.