1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

LICENSING LAW AND THE BAR

be paid for at the time when the meal is paid for. Thus, a hotel guest may have drinks with his meals and pay for them when he settles the general hotel bill at the end of the week ; but if he buys a drink in the bar or lounge without a meal, he must pay for it there and then. What is a Meal ? The Licensing Acts do not define what is a meal, and there is some uncertainty on the point. There seems, however, no doubt that the intention is that the meal shall be a normally substantial part of the refreshment partaken of. A fair-sized sandwich or a plate of hors d'ceuvres with one or two drinks would seem to be a meal for the purposes of the law, but one tiny sandwich, or two small biscuits, taken with half a dozen drinks, would not. The food must not be just a mere excuse for a drink. On the other hand a meal need not consist of a"knife and fork"affair at a table. Sandwiches, cakes and other light refreshments taken in sufficient quantity may be a meal whether taken at a table, or standing up,or in an armchair, or from a ledge or shelf. Quantities that may be Sold The maximum amount of liquor that may be sold to one person at any one time is, in the case of spirits, wines or sweets, not more than 2 gallons or 12 reputed quart bottles, and,in the case of beer or cider, not more than 4^ gallons or 24 reputed quart bottles. All liquor which is sold by retail, and not in cask or bottle, but in quantities of a half-pint or more must be sold in measures marked according to the imperial standards. Thus a customer may be supplied with a"nip a"whisky",a"double gin"or a "glass of beer"which is less than half a pint, and the glass or vessel in which it is served need not be a marked measure, nor need the quantity be any exact or definite amount. If a customer asks for a certain measure of liquor, e.g., a pint, it is illegal to supply to him in response to that request an amount larger than that asked for. In other words the"long pull" as it used to be called, is prohibited. Unlawful Possession of Spirits It is an offence for a licensee to have possession of liquor which he is not authorized to sell or which he cannot satisfactorily account

151