Lobby group says retailers should have been consulted.

ALCOHOL retailers should have been consulted before a public consultation on the licensing law, says a business lobby group.

The Jersey Chamber of Commerce says the States ‘should be working together with business to encourage measures to offset the effects of the recession, and not impose costly red tape’.

In particular, the Chamber members are objecting to proposals to restrict the hours of alcohol sale from 9 am to 6 pm only, instead of from 6 am to 10 pm as is currently permitted. They say this would inconvenience responsible customers wanting to shop before or after work.

The retailers are also upset about the suggestion that there should be dedicated tills in shops for the sale of alcohol. They say this is ‘completely impracticable and will add large costs to business’.

The 110-page States consultation, published in March, was compiled by a licensing panel of representatives from the Health, Home Affairs and Economic Development departments.

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