Gin terrace licensing hours restriction overturned by panel
Councillors have overturned a planning condition curtailing the licensing hours of a brand new gin terrace to earlier than outdoor areas in the same hotel.
Perth and Kinross Council’s local review body was asked to review the Craigvrack Hotel’s case when it met on June 22.
Councillors on the body previously deferred making a decision on April 27 for more information.
The Pitlochry hotel asked for a planning condition restricting the licensing hours of its brand new gin terrace from 11am to 8pm to be removed.
The applicants challenged 8pm as “unreasonable”due to its existing outdoor seating area being licensed until 11pm, when not subject to COVID restrictions.
In April councillors on the local review body were confused to hear customers could enjoy food and drink just two steps away on a different outdoor area of the same Pitlochry premises.
When the appeal came back before them in June 22 councillors unanimously overturned the decision.
Convener Liberal Democrat councillor Lewis Simpson said the way the application was handled led to“making what should have been a straightforward application very complicated”.
The councillors said licensing issues were normally an issue for the licensing board.
Cllr Simpson said it was the first time anything like this had been brought before the local review body.
He said a planning appeal could perhaps have been avoided if work had been“more joined up in the background.”
The PA contacted The Craigvrack Hotel for comment and was told the hotel’s owner Amisha Kaushik was very pleased with the decision.