Licensed trade extends NLC to raise standards

The licensed trade in England and Wales has gained its own qualification for newcomers into the business, which aims to raise standards across the industry.

This week, the National Licensee's Certificate (NLC), which was established for on-licences last year, was extended to cover restaurants, residential accommodation and the off-trade.

The new certificates, obtained through examination, are likely to be increasingly demanded by magistrates when considering applicants for new licences, according to Brian Maugham, director of training and development at the British Institute of Innkeeping.

"The certificates are well established in the on-trade with over 13,000 issued. It's a good idea to extend the idea to other sectors," he added.

Initial reaction from restaurant companies is positive. Ibrahim Goksaran, training officer at BrightReasons, told Caterer the certificates should be good for the industry. "We have had difficulty recently with one or two licensing benches granting us licences. A recognised qualification should help," he said.

He also believed the certificates should raise the standards within the restaurant industry. "Some people aren't aware of their responsibilities," he said.