Scottish Licensing Boards plan tough stance on alcohol-related harm despite resistance from the trade

• Garages and petrol station forecourt shops across Scotland may be forced to stop selling alcohol within two years under new laws. Licensing chiefs in Glasgow are the first in the country to have signalled their intention to prevent garages selling alcohol unless the premises can prove it is the main source of fuel and groceries for the local community. The 2005 Licensing Act allows all boards across Scotland to introduce the measure and with the country's largest board formally indicating that it will be a matter of policy to refuse permission for garages to sell alcohol most others are expected to follow suit. But trade representatives have said the policy is meaningless as there is no evidence of any link between drink driving and the sale of alcohol in garages. They claim that it does little more than punish small retailers, while major supermarkets continue to sell both alcohol and petrol.  The Herald

• Scares that vertical drinking policies will be brought in under new Scottish Licensing Laws have been described as "overblown" as most pubs already include 25 per cent of their premises as seating. This is according to Patrick Browne, chief executive of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, who added that licensing boards who try to implement such policies would be overstepping their powers anyway.   Reports in the Scottish media have raised concerns that plans to force pubs to provide more seating might jeopardise some of the smaller, character, venues. However, these reports are based on the notion that licensing boards might try to enforce 50 per cent seating. Browne has heard that Perth and Kinross, Edinburgh and North Lanarkshire licensing boards are looking at 25 per cent vertical drinking policies. But he argues that any such restriction could only be brought in using powers under Health and Safety or Building Regulations – and not the new licensing laws.  The Publican

Comments

[paddi o'brien]

In Dunbar we have Hallhill Healthy Living Centre that has become a "licenced Clubhouse" and under the current licence children under 14 are not legally allowed in the building. As a community facility children are allowed in the bar areas!!
The management of the trust simply believe that they can break the law, run a bar and claim the benifits of being a charity.
My question is should we allow a charity management group to continue to break the law ar should they be reported?