Anyone else been refused tap water in restaurant

Mistral001

adouglasmhor wrote: »

NI law here. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1996/3158/article/7

(12) A court which grants a licence in respect of a place of public entertainment[F1 or an indoor arena] may attach to the licence such conditions as it thinks fit.

So that provision does exist and can apply in Northern Ireland at music venues, whether it has been used or not is a moot point.

I can see a judge possibly imposing the free tap water condition in the case of a rave or music festival but we are talking about restaurants here. Isn't this the reason why this law was brought into GB anyway ie. for raves?

adouglasmhor

Mistral001 wrote: »

I can see a judge possibly imposing the free tap water condition in the case of a rave or music festival but we are talking about restaurants here. Isn't this the reason why this law was brought into GB anyway ie. for raves?

They could technically do it in a restaurant where there was entertainment, ie a dinner dance or show night, even a wedding reception, like I say I have never heard of it being used. You are right about the raves thing – it was a knee jerk to people overheating on ecstasy, soon followed by a young woman overdosing on water in England because the press had said that would stop you dying on ecstasy (I have never taken it and have managed to avoid being killed by it so far).

Conditions I have heard of being applied to restaurants seeking a new licence include, making a venue accessible to disabled people, modernising fire alarms or upgrading toilets, just never the water one.

RikM

adouglasmhor wrote: »

NI law here. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1996/3158/article/7


So that provision does exist and can apply in Northern Ireland at music venues, whether it has been used or not is a moot point.

Ah no. The point wasn't that they can't add a water provision to a licence. It was that it's a basic provision of the licence in GB, but not NI...
see:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/tap-water-rights?_ga=1.121863496.2131870304.1414796321

ganouche

Apologies for infiltrating a NI forum. Can someone point out how I would know this for avoidance of future ill targeted postings?

BigAl94

ganouche wrote: »

Apologies for infiltrating a NI forum. Can someone point out how I would know this for avoidance of future ill targeted postings?

Look at the top of the page under the menu navigation bar there is a site map showing where you are.

adouglasmhor

RikM wrote: »

Ah no. The point wasn't that they can't add a water provision to a licence. It was that it's a basic provision of the licence in GB, but not NI...
see:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/tap-water-rights?_ga=1.121863496.2131870304.1414796321

Ah no, what I posted was correct and they can, I think the NI govt legislation page showing the law as it stands trumps even MSE. The Scottish law for this is closer to the NI one than the rest of the UKs as well, so you don't seem to understand that either.

Mistral001

So it would seem that the "law" that all licensed premises in NI must provide free water on request is a total urban myth.


Somebody should do a Mythbuster-type TV programme on NI myths like this. Any (non-political) suggestions of other NI urban myths?

jenheiffer

Mistral001 wrote: »

So it would seem that the "law" that all licensed premises in NI must provide free water on request is a total urban myth.


Somebody should do a Mythbuster-type TV programme on NI myths like this. Any (non-political) suggestions of other NI urban myths?

Myth or no myth, I just feel that it is only common human decency to give a paying customer a drink of tap water if they ask for it in a restaurant. What happened to the so-called Irish hospitality we are supposed to be famous for?

RikM

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Ah no, what I posted was correct and they can, I think the NI govt legislation page showing the law as it stands trumps even MSE. The Scottish law for this is closer to the NI one than the rest of the UKs as well, so you don't seem to understand that either.

In the scottish act of 2005 it says something like "tap water fit for human consumption must be provided free of charge on request" under the mandatory conditions.

Can you point me to where it says that in the NI legislation? I can't see it. The only mentions of water are to do with it being available (with other non-alchoholic beverages) in some kinds of premises, and no mention of "free".

jenheiffer

It's not in the legislation because it is only fairly recently that it has been an issue here, i.e. a few restaurants have become so mean and money-grabbing that they see fit to charge for tap water.