24-hour drinking at the last bastion of clean-living

Jan 7 2008 by Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post

It' a sign of the times when those former bastions of clean-living, albeit somewhat spartan and rather chilly, are now set to join the country’s drinking culture round the clock.

Numerous youth hostels have been granted 24-hour licences to sell alcohol, in spite of neighbouring property owners complaining that their peace could be shattered.

The new liberal licensing laws mean that the Youth Hostel Association can legally apply to sell alcohol 24 hours a day in 118 of its hostels, many of which are located in the most attractive parts of England and Wales.

The YHA has submitted a blanket application for its hostels and last month practically all of them were approved, to the chagrin of the many residents who live close to these properties.

The association claims that this blanket application for 24-hour licences was by far the most cost-effective way to renew its various existing premises allowed to sell alcohol and let dozens more sell wine with meals.

Already, some YHA properties, such as Briston, in north Norfolk, sell drinks and even have wine lists. Hostels are increasingly like small hotels, with their own restaurants, rather than self-catering kitchens.

The question is whether the YHA is kow-towing in the hope of breaking into the budget hotel market, or if this move is necessary to keep the organisation afloat.

It wasn’t many years ago that there was a threat of a mass-selling off of association property that apparently couldn’t pay its way.

Maybe we’re just growing up in our attitudes.

There is a slight unease, though, that the association is being drawn into a youth culture where existence without alcohol is unthinkable. Does it fear, if drink isn’t for sale at its properties, that they will just be marginalised?

Certainly, many young people of the traditional YHA target market age would run a mile if, after making breakfast in some bleak communal kitchen, were handed a broom and told to sweep out the place.

When I say run a mile, what I mean, of course, is that the youngsters in question would phone their parents on their mobiles and demand to be immediately driven the mile in question.

“What people did not seem to realise is that about 50 of our hostels already had 24-hour licences, many of which had to be renewed,” says Paul Fearn, YHA communications manager.

He has also tried to allay fears from local residents and those who expect a more traditional setting that youth hostels will not be turned into “Ibiza-style” nightclubs.

“We have no intention of serving booze 24 hours a day or throwing all-night raves.”

Not everyone is convinced. One resident of the historic town of Saffron Walden, Essex, who opposed the 24-hours licence for the youth hostel, said it sounded as if these properties were being transformed into “cheap hotels”. John Ready, 61, an architect, said: “I think the granting of all these licences sends out all the wrong signals in the current climate in terms of drinking.”

The Saffron Waldren YHA, in a 600-year-old form-er maltings, exemp- lifies the traditional hostel image at its best, with its oak beams and walled garden. In spite of the local opposition, it was granted a licence, with various conditions, probably limiting the availability of alcohol up until midnight. As a Grade I English Heritage listed building, it also indicates the unsuitability of adapting these old properties to a more commercially competitive role, when extra sound-proofing and air-conditioning is prohibited.

However, out of the 118 YHA properties applying for 24-hour licences, only one was rejected.

With the huge relaxation in English and Welsh licensing laws two years ago, organisations that once would have been bastions of alcohol- free activities now find themselves operating in a market where drink is viewed very differently. No matter that there’s been controversy over the 24-hour licensing laws fuelling binge-drinking and alcohol-related violence.

Although Prime Minister Gordon Brown seemed init- ially keen for a return to tougher alcohol sales control, the Government has just confirmed that 24-hour drinking will remain, with some new powers to combat rowdy premises.

Only time will tell if these are needed for the once sober YHA properties, where everybody used to be tucked up in bed by 10.30pm with lights out.

peter.elson