An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough

Objectives Cumulative impact zones (CIZs) are a widely implemented local policy intended to restrict alcohol availability in areas proliferated with licensed outlets. Limited previous research has questioned their effectiveness and suggested they may play a more nuanced role in shaping local alcohol...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Carolyn A Sharpe, Alan Poots, Hilary Watt, Chris Williamson, David Franklin, Richard J Pinder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-09-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/9/e027320.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850146688852819968
author Carolyn A Sharpe
Alan Poots
Hilary Watt
Chris Williamson
David Franklin
Richard J Pinder
author_facet Carolyn A Sharpe
Alan Poots
Hilary Watt
Chris Williamson
David Franklin
Richard J Pinder
author_sort Carolyn A Sharpe
collection DOAJ
description Objectives Cumulative impact zones (CIZs) are a widely implemented local policy intended to restrict alcohol availability in areas proliferated with licensed outlets. Limited previous research has questioned their effectiveness and suggested they may play a more nuanced role in shaping local alcohol environments. This study evaluates the association between CIZ implementation and the number of licence applications made, and the number issued, relative to a control region.Design A quantitative observational study.Setting The inner London Borough of Southwark, which currently enforces three CIZs.Population Licence applications received by Southwark Council’s Licensing Authority between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2017 (n=1254).Interventions CIZ implementation.Primary outcome measures Five outlet types were categorised and evaluated: drinking establishments, eateries, takeaways, off sales and other outlets. Primary outcome measures were the number of applications received and the number of licences issued. These were analysed using Poisson regression of counts over time.Results Across all CIZs, implementation was associated with greater increases in the number of eateries in CIZ regions (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=1.58, 95% CI: 1.02–2.45, p=0.04) and number of takeaway venues (IRR=3.89, 95% CI: 1.32–11.49, p=0.01), relative to the control area. No discernible association was found for the remaining outlet types. Disaggregating by area indicated a 10-fold relative increase in the number of new eateries in Peckham CIZ (IRR=10.38, 95% CI: 1.39–77.66, p=0.02) and a fourfold relative increase in the number of newly licensed takeaways in Bankside CIZ (IRR=4.38, 95% CI: 1.20–15.91, p=0.03).Conclusions CIZs may be useful as policy levers to shape local alcohol environments to support the licensing goals of specific geographical areas and diversify the night-time economy.
format Article
id doaj-art-7cebad3e4cf3497f9c30e92ef21dcd58
institution OA Journals
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2019-09-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-7cebad3e4cf3497f9c30e92ef21dcd582025-08-20T02:27:46ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-09-019910.1136/bmjopen-2018-027320An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London BoroughCarolyn A Sharpe0Alan Poots1Hilary Watt2Chris Williamson3David Franklin4Richard J Pinder51 Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK3 NIHR CLARHC Northwest London, Imperial College London, London, UK1 Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK4 Public Health Division, Place and Wellbeing Department, Southwark Council, London, UK5 Licensing, Southwark Council, London, UKclinical senior lecturerObjectives Cumulative impact zones (CIZs) are a widely implemented local policy intended to restrict alcohol availability in areas proliferated with licensed outlets. Limited previous research has questioned their effectiveness and suggested they may play a more nuanced role in shaping local alcohol environments. This study evaluates the association between CIZ implementation and the number of licence applications made, and the number issued, relative to a control region.Design A quantitative observational study.Setting The inner London Borough of Southwark, which currently enforces three CIZs.Population Licence applications received by Southwark Council’s Licensing Authority between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2017 (n=1254).Interventions CIZ implementation.Primary outcome measures Five outlet types were categorised and evaluated: drinking establishments, eateries, takeaways, off sales and other outlets. Primary outcome measures were the number of applications received and the number of licences issued. These were analysed using Poisson regression of counts over time.Results Across all CIZs, implementation was associated with greater increases in the number of eateries in CIZ regions (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=1.58, 95% CI: 1.02–2.45, p=0.04) and number of takeaway venues (IRR=3.89, 95% CI: 1.32–11.49, p=0.01), relative to the control area. No discernible association was found for the remaining outlet types. Disaggregating by area indicated a 10-fold relative increase in the number of new eateries in Peckham CIZ (IRR=10.38, 95% CI: 1.39–77.66, p=0.02) and a fourfold relative increase in the number of newly licensed takeaways in Bankside CIZ (IRR=4.38, 95% CI: 1.20–15.91, p=0.03).Conclusions CIZs may be useful as policy levers to shape local alcohol environments to support the licensing goals of specific geographical areas and diversify the night-time economy.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/9/e027320.full
spellingShingle Carolyn A Sharpe
Alan Poots
Hilary Watt
Chris Williamson
David Franklin
Richard J Pinder
An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough
BMJ Open
title An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough
title_full An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough
title_fullStr An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough
title_full_unstemmed An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough
title_short An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough
title_sort observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner london borough
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/9/e027320.full
work_keys_str_mv AT carolynasharpe anobservationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT alanpoots anobservationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT hilarywatt anobservationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT chriswilliamson anobservationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT davidfranklin anobservationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT richardjpinder anobservationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT carolynasharpe observationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT alanpoots observationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT hilarywatt observationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT chriswilliamson observationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT davidfranklin observationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough
AT richardjpinder observationalstudytoexaminehowcumulativeimpactzonesinfluencealcoholavailabilityfromdifferenttypesoflicensedoutletsinaninnerlondonborough