For decades, local businesses applying for alcohol licences have been required to publish public notices in print newspapers. The idea is simple: give local residents the chance to know what’s happening near them and to have their say before decisions are made.
But in 2025, when most of us get our news online, it’s a rule that no longer makes sense.
A system that shuts people out
In Bedford, those applying for a new licence, a change of hours or live-music permission are told they must advertise in a printed paper. The only printed newspaper in Bedford Borough that fully meets current legislation has a weekly circulation of just 20,000 (2024 data).
Meanwhile, the Bedford Independent reaches around 130,000 unique readers every month. That’s more than six times the print audience, and it’s made up of people who already turn to us for trusted local news, day in and day out.
For clarification, the population of Bedford Borough is approximately 190,000. The current system leaves 90% of our area’s population in the dark.
The rule also affects the council itself. Bedford Borough Council is required to publish its own statutory notices in print, often at a similarly high cost.
The public funds every advert placed under this system, so maintaining a print-only rule means taxpayers pay more while fewer people actually see the information.
During the pandemic, when no local papers were being printed, the council temporarily allowed licence applicants to place their notices with us instead. It worked perfectly.
Notices were published quickly, cost local businesses and the council far less, and reached many more residents. When print returned, the council reverted to the old rule.
An outdated definition
The Government is now consulting on plans to reform parts of the Licensing Act 2003. One question is whether the rule on printed newspaper notices should be changed. The answer, we believe, is yes.
Nowhere in the Act does it say that a newspaper must be printed on paper. The restriction is based on an outdated interpretation that predates online local newsrooms like ours.
As an IMPRESS-regulated publication with clear editorial standards and a large local audience, the Bedford Independent fulfils every purpose the law intends: providing clear, accessible public information to residents.
Read: Everything you need to know about the Bedford Independent
Cost is another part of the problem. Businesses tell us that placing a local statutory notice in print can cost at least £400, sometimes much more. During lockdown, we charged £100 for the same service.
For small local venues already struggling with bills and supply costs, that difference matters.
The same problem applies to public bodies. Local authorities are also required to publish their own statutory notices in print and are charged similar rates. That money comes from taxpayers, so every over-priced notice means fewer funds available for frontline services.
Introducing competition would allow councils to choose where they publish, reduce unnecessary spending and still reach far more residents. It’s a simple change that would deliver real savings while improving transparency and public access to information.
A simple fix
Allowing notices to be published in either print or online outlets would modernise the system overnight. It would make information more accessible, cut costs for businesses and councils, and help strengthen independent local news providers that keep communities informed.
Some have suggested that a new national Public Notice Portal could host all statutory notices. That’s a good idea in principle, but it must be open to everyone.
At present, only members of the News Media Association can join the portal, which excludes hundreds of independent publishers across the UK.
A more democratic solution would allow all professionally regulated local news outlets, including online-only ones, to publish notices and feed them into a single searchable public database.
That way, Bedfordians could find all notices in one place, no matter where they were first published.
The government has already shown in other sectors that it can open up outdated systems for the public good. The Legal Services Act 2007 did just that, introducing competition and choice while keeping high professional standards.
The same principle can apply here: put citizens first, protect standards, and modernise rules that no longer reflect how people live.
Public notices may sound technical, but they are a cornerstone of local democracy. They let you know when something is changing on your high street, when a new venue is opening, or when you might want to object.
Everyone deserves the chance to see them, wherever they get their news.
Have your say
The Government’s consultation on reforming the licensing system is open until midday on Thursday, 6 November 2025. You can read the details and submit your views at: gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.
The questions relating to how public notices are advertised 16-19.
Your response can be as simple as saying you support public notices in both print and online local news outlets, but you may wish to respond to all the questions being asked.
Every voice matters in helping shape a fairer, more modern system.
