Pubs call last orders on indoor drinking

Pubs around Courier Country poured their last indoor pints yesterday as new Scottish Government regulations shut down swathes of the region’s hospitality businesses.

Despite new rules, some travellers from locked down areas in the Central Belt flocked to Perth seeking an illicit drink.

New rulings mean that alcohol can only be served outdoors until 10pm each day.

Non-alcoholic drinks and food can be served indoors, but only until just 6pm.

Ayrshire and Arran, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Forth Valley and the Lothians health board areas have seen all pubs and restaurants closed.

The measures have been introduced after corona virus cases continued to spike in and around the Central Belt.

Yesterday businesses reported multiple groups of travellers from Glasgow and the surrounding area booking into Perth city centre hotels, hoping for a boozy weekend away.

However for many hospitality businesses – even some with beer gardens – operating at the a lower capacity would only incur a loss.

As a result , many watering holes have pulled their shutters down until the two-week period comes to an end.

But some business owners fear the two-week period could be extended.

Among those is Colin Bell, who locked up The Bunker in Perth yesterday evening.

Colin had been able to benefit from council support which allowed him to put a handful of tables and chairs outside at the cul-de-sac ending of Canal Crescent.

This was helpful for getting his pub back up and running during August and early September.

But with the summer weather behind him, Colin says he has no choice but to temporarily cease trading.

“By 4.30pm, it’s freezing,” he said.

“People want to come inside because it’s too cold.

“We had nobody sitting outside on Thursday and it wasn’t worth us putting the tables out on Friday.

“Unless you have gas heaters, it’s not worthwhile.

“We’ve had to use up all our food this week. Selling soft drinks inside isn’ t enough for us. It’s not viable for me to stay open.”

Colin, who launched the business last summer, said he has had groups of people arriving at the tail end of this week from the locked down Centra l Be lt , travelling by train for a weekend of drinking , expecting pubs to be open.

However, it appears that their actions will prove all but fruitless, with many other pubs in the city being forced to cease trading until restrictions are dropped.

Some bars are adapting and have said they will continue to serve takeaway drinks, a trend which surged in the first lockdown.

CLOSING TIME: Colin Bell, of The Bunker in Perth, has temporarily ceased trading. Picture by Steve MacDougall.