Call for better night time transport policy for bars
ANEW dedicated nighttime transport policy is needed to boost the hospi t a l i t y s e c t or ac c ord i n g t o a Gla sgow nightclub boss.
Last week the Glasgow Times revealed how the SNP administration has asked the city licensing board to consider an extra hour for city centre pubs, allowing them to open until 1am.
But the chair of the Glasgow Night Time Industry Association said other issues need urgent attention, and getting people in and out of the city centre needs to be a priority.
Donald MacLeod, owner of the Garage and Cathouse clubs, is chair of the Night Time Industries Association.
He said he was “pleased” Glasgow City Council supports the night- time economy.
Mr MacLeod said discussions have taken place about possible improvements to help businesses in the hospitality trade.
He said: “An extra hour is not going to be the answer. There is a lack of public transport and taxis need to be sorted.
“Right now”, he said, “people are not coming into the city centre at all.”
He added: “The strikes are decimating some pubs.
“It’s about getting people into the town at the moment as well.
“People have had tickets for gigs but not turning up
because they can’t get home.
“There is a lack of an integrated policy for transport to serve the night time economy and it is exacerbated by the strikes and the cost of living crisis.
“An extra hour we could look at but an extra hour with nobody coming in helps no- one.”
He said he believed the council is “trying to improve the night time economy”.
The council’s letter to the Licensing Board, stated: “It is our shared view that those city
centre premises which currently have a terminal hour of midnight could benefit from having the option to remain open until 1am.
“An additional hour of trading could encourage patrons to remain out for a short period of time, thus further contributing to the late- night economy.”
It recognised that there are other elements like transport that need attention.
The letter added: “We are acutely aware of the pressures on late- night public transport but
again feel that it is necessary to plan for the next five years, and it is our firm belief that policies under development within the City Council will improve the city’s transport offer over that time.”
Mr MacLeod said if there is to be a change to hours, the differential between pubs and clubs must be maintained.
He said: “The nightclubs position is that a difference between the terminal hour for pubs and clubs is the right thing to do.”