(This is taken from CAMRA's November Press Release)
In October 1914 evening closing time in London became 10.00pm instead of 12.30am.
In 1915 opening hours were reduced from 16-17 hours (19.5 hours in London) to 5.5 hours and evening closing was 9 - 9.30pm.
In 1916 the Government via the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) took over the four breweries in Carlisle as well as 235 pubs in the Carlisle, Gretna and Annan area. The next year pubs in the Enfield Lock area of London and Invergordon in Scotland were taken over. In all these areas there were worries that the effectiveness of the munitions factories were being endangered by drunkenness amongst the workers.
The State Management System, as it was called, banned Sunday drinking, the consumption of spirits on a Saturday and the use of spirit chasers. Food, soft drinks and facilities for women were introduced to pubs.
There was even a call for the Nationalisation of the brewing industry and pubs.
Since 1964 there have been at least a dozen separate Acts and Deregulation Orders making certain amendments and adjustments to licensing law. These include all day opening on weekdays (1988); all day opening on Sundays (1995) and recent New Years Eve Orders.
The 1964 Act runs to 155 pages; 204 sections and 15 schedules. It includes regulations for seamen's canteens, licences in the Carlisle district and Sunday closing in Wales and Monmouth!
The current Licensing Bill promises to "sweep away more red tape than any other Bill in history" and 33 separate statutes will disappear.