Yes: Jersey pubs, bars and restaurants can run happy hours and drinks promotions again, and advertise them on Facebook and Instagram. On 29 May 2025 the Licensing Assembly removed the long-standing guidance against them, on the Attorney General's application. Discounted drinks at set times, loyalty discounts, drinks included in an entry fee and drinks in meal deals are now allowed, on one condition: promotions must not encourage excessive drinking. The Attorney General said he would have “little hesitation in referring a licensee to the Assembly” if shown evidence of promotions or advertising that do, and the Assembly can suspend or revoke a licence on referral. Meta adds its own rules: follow local law, and never target alcohol ads at under-18s.
What changed on 29 May 2025?
The Licensing Assembly, chaired by the Bailiff, supported the Attorney General's application to replace guidance that had advised licensed premises against drinks promotions for decades. As reported by the Jersey Evening Post, these are now permitted for on-trade premises:
- discounted drinks on set days or at set times, such as a happy hour;
- discounts for members of a loyalty scheme;
- drinks included in a venue's entry fee;
- drinks offered as part of a meal deal.
Licensees must still run their premises responsibly. The same ruling raised the minimum unit price policy for retail sales (supermarkets and off-licences) from 50p to 65p a unit. The Jersey Hospitality Association said it would urge members to use the change responsibly, and warned that guidance like this “can easily be brought back if the rules are abused” (Channel Eye).
Who enforces it?
Licences are granted under the Licensing (Jersey) Law 1974. When the Attorney General refers a licence matter to the Licensing Assembly, Article 9 lets the Assembly “suspend or revoke the licence” and attach conditions. So the practical test for any promotion, and any ad for it, is whether it could be shown to encourage excessive drinking.
The law itself is under review. In December 2025 the Jersey Evening Post reported a draft law that would move licensing decisions from the Licensing Assembly to a renamed Alcohol and Gambling Commission, not before 2027. Check the current position before you plan a long campaign.
How to advertise a drinks promotion on Facebook and Instagram
| Usually fine | Avoid |
|---|---|
| “Happy hour, 5pm to 7pm, Monday to Thursday” | “Drink as much as you can”, bottomless or all-you-can-drink framing |
| A meal deal with a glass of wine, led by the food | Speed or volume challenges, “down it”, shots-for-everyone urgency |
| Loyalty members' prices on a named drink | Linking drinking to confidence, social or sexual success |
| The venue, the view, the food, live music and the team | Anyone who looks under 25 drinking or central to the ad |
| Ads targeted at people aged 18 or over | Creative that would appeal to under-18s, or targeting that could reach them |
Meta's alcohol advertising policy requires ads to follow local laws and industry codes, and alcohol ads must not be targeted at people under 18 (higher minimum ages apply in some countries). Where your ads also reach people in the UK, the UK CAP Code's alcohol rules (section 18) apply too: people shown drinking or playing a significant role “must neither be nor seem to be under 25” (rule 18.16), and ads must not imply alcohol can enhance confidence or popularity (rule 18.2) or encourage excessive drinking.
Making drinks offers work in a small market
Jersey's audience is small: Meta's tools reach about 54,400 people on Facebook and 44,100 on Instagram (DataReportal, late 2025). The same people see a venue's ads often, so a promotion works best as part of a wider reason to visit: the food, the setting, an event, the quiet midweek evenings you want to fill. Lead with that, add the offer as the reason to come this week, and refresh the creative every few weeks. Our page on marketing for Jersey restaurants, cafes and hotels covers the rest of the plan, and our Facebook and Instagram ads service explains how campaigns are run and reported.
A quick checklist before you post
- Is the offer one of the kinds now allowed (set times, loyalty, entry fee, meal deal)?
- Could anyone reasonably read the ad as encouraging excessive drinking? If so, change it.
- Is the ad targeted at 18 and over, and is everyone shown drinking clearly over 25?
- Does the ad lead with the venue, food or event rather than the quantity of alcohol?
- Is the offer accurate, with its days, times and terms stated?
- Would your licence holder be comfortable explaining it to the Licensing Assembly?
Sources
Checked 9 November 2026: Jersey Evening Post, 30 May 2025, on the Licensing Assembly ruling of 29 May 2025; Channel Eye, 29 May 2025; Licensing (Jersey) Law 1974 (consolidated version of 2 October 2026), Jersey Legal Information; Jersey Evening Post, 9 December 2025, on the draft licensing law; Meta Advertising Standards: alcohol; CAP Code, section 18: alcohol; DataReportal, Digital 2026: Jersey.
Questions people ask
Are happy hours legal in Jersey?
Yes. On 29 May 2025 the Licensing Assembly removed the guidance against drinks promotions, on the Attorney General’s application. Happy hours, loyalty discounts, drinks in entry fees and drinks in meal deals are allowed, provided promotions do not encourage excessive drinking.
Can a Jersey bar advertise a happy hour on Instagram?
Yes, if the promotion and the ad do not encourage excessive drinking, the ad follows Meta’s alcohol policy (local law, and no targeting of under-18s), and, where it reaches the UK, the CAP Code’s alcohol rules, such as people shown drinking not being or seeming under 25.
What happens if a promotion encourages excessive drinking?
The Attorney General said he would have little hesitation in referring a licensee to the Licensing Assembly on evidence of promotions or advertising that encourage excessive drinking. Under Article 9 of the Licensing (Jersey) Law 1974 the Assembly can suspend or revoke a licence on a referral. This is general information, not legal advice.
Related: Marketing for Jersey restaurants, cafes and hotels · See the results behind our numbers · Terms explained in the glossary