Problem lies with people drinking too much, rather than too many pubs, says council

ARE there too many pubs and off licences in Oban? That was a question posed to Oban community council (OCC) on Monday evening.

Members of OCC felt that, while there was a problem with cheap pricing in supermarkets, the holiday town needed more places selling alcohol for the tourist trade.

Consultant, Lorraine Simpson, had been commissioned by Argyll and Bute council’s licensing board to find out whether the effects of over-provision of licensed premises was brewing up trouble for the town’s residents.

Ms Simpson said: ‘There are a number of licensing objectives that are used to assess the relevance of the provision in any area.

‘These are crime, public safety, public nuisance, promoting public health and protecting children from harm.’

Ms Simpson said her organisation was not going to be making a recommendation to the licensing board - but would be feeding back issues that local people had raised with them.

Oban resident Kenny MacLennan, said: ‘I am not an expert in this matter. But all these negative aspects of alcohol have nothing to do with over-provision, it has more to do with consumption of alcohol

‘Close two pubs in Oban and it won’t make any difference to that consumption.’

Community councillor, George Berry, said: ‘It is not the off licences and the pubs that are to blame. The problem lies in the supermarkets.’

Councillor Neil MacIntyre said: ‘I doubt there will be a new pub open in Oban ever again, but there will be hotels.

‘In most of north Argyll, no new pubs will open, but we will have increased tourism. So you will be cutting your own throat if you introduce over-provision.’

In most of north Argyll, no new pubs will open

Councillor Neil MacIntyre