Anti happy-hour regulations

C

Complainer

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I recall some rules or regulations brought in some time ago to ban happy-hours in pubs. Can anyone point me to the specific of these rules? If a pub was advertising pints at €4 up to 6pm, would this be breaching these rules?
 
Well, from:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/c...nal-law/criminal-offences/alcohol_and_the_law

Selling alcohol at reduced prices 'Happy Hour'

Since August 2003 it is illegal in Ireland to sell alcohol at reduced prices for a limited period during any day. (In other words, 'happy hour' is now prohibited).

The same site also mentions the intoxicating liquor act 2003 - which may make specific reference to this law as it came out the same year.
 
Thanks - From the wording of the 2003 Act;


it looks to me that the ban stops somebody reducing the prices during the day, but doesn't stop somebody selling at a reduced price from opening hour up to a certain time during the day.

So the reduced price before 6pm isn't against the Act, afaik. Would that be how others read this?
 
My reading of it would be that you can reduce the prices but only over a whole day - not over a limited 'window'.

With that in mind I can't see how the other example is still legal. Surely up to 6 is still a limited period?

Unless, after 6 is 'night' as opposed to day?

Edit: No, sorry, I think you are right - the wording of the subsection threw me for a minute.

Crossed with Complainer too!
 
Caveat said:
With that in mind I can't see how the other example is still legal. Surely up to 6 is still a limited period?
Click to expand...
Yes, but it is not "a price less than that regularly being charged for the intoxicating liquor during an earlier period after 10.30 a.m. (12.30 p.m. on a Sunday) on the day concerned."

The regular price was not charged earlier on that day (because the reduced price applied from opening time up to 6pm), so this part of the Act doesn't apply, as far as I can see?
 
Mangled editing and bad timing on my part! - to reiterate, yes I agree with you, that seems to be the case.
 
Some pubs are currently doing "flip-a-coin" drinks promotions during certain hours. They flip a coin, and if it's heads you get the drink for free, tails you have to pay. So effectively a 50% price reduction for a certain time period, but it seems to get around the law.
 
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