laws of age in pubs

[JIM LEPETIT]

what age have you got to be to go in a pub

[Oneeyedvic]

It may have changed with the recent legislation, but I'm pretty sure it used tobe:

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  18 if you want to buy a drink and go into the 'bar area'


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  16 if accompanied by an adult and only drinking soft drinks


• 
  
  Don''t think there was a lower limit, but you had to be held in your parent's arms or similar (eg under 2 years old)


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  Any age if you are going into a designated eating area

That is from memory from around 14 years ago.

Obviously, a licencee can refuse you entry at his own discretion.

[brachiopod]

Under the Licensing Act 1964 (as Amended), it used to be permitted under the law for an accompanied 14 year old to enter Licensed Premises, though they could not purchase anything from the bar (not even soft drinks)

At 16 you could purchase and consume 'beer, porter, cider and perry ' (not wine or spirits), if it was supplied with a meal, and in an area designated for that use.

There were various loopholes in the 1964 Act, which meant that a beer garden didn't count as a 'bar area' and, as such, you could legally consume alcohol if underage, though the Licensee probably wouldn't approve!

Note that these ages constituted what was allowed under the law, and were not 'rights'. Therefore, a licensee was quite entitled to say no-one under 18, 21 or even 30 was allowed on the premises.

Under the new Licensing Act 2003, the law has been clarified, so that Licensed Premises now means any area, such as beer gardens etc, not just the 'bar area' as was the case previously. Restrictions on Licenses can now very much be tailored to the individual premises, but in general, the 2003 Act states that unaccompanied children under 16 are not permitted on Licensed Premises, but this restriction can be removed by the licensing authority where the premises are deemed suitable for children.
The over 16 but under 18 'alcohol with a meal' law also now reads 'beer, wine and cider'.

[Narolines]

Should it not read "beer, wine OR cider"? Or does the law mean that you can buy alcohol with a meal only if you have all three? They do say the law is an ass.......