Still time to get a late drinking licence

Premises need to act fast to get festive season hours

Licensed premises can apply to open later over the festive season – but will have to get their applications in quickly.

Stirling District Licensing Board recent agreed that special arrangements can be made for extended hours at onsales premises in its area from December 13 until January 2.

Each premises will have to submit an application which will be determined on its own merits.

The extension will be no more than one hour beyond their already permitted hours but special consideration will be given for Christmas Eve and Hogmanay whereby premises may be allowed to trade until 3am, and nightclubs until 4am.

The board clerk will determine all the applications – for which there is a £10 fee – however any which attract objections will be referred to the board for a decision.

In the past a blanket extension was usually granted, allowing any licensed premises which wanted to to open up an hour longer.

However since 2017 premises have to submit a special application. Police had said a blanket increase encouraged later drinking and had an adverse impact on crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour and individual applications allowed them to pass comment on those premises that might not be deemed suitable for the extension or to allow extra conditions to be put in place.

They said it also helped them with their festive deployment plans.

Licensing officer Stephanie Cameron said: “Such an extension may last for up to one month, therefore only one application per premises will be required if they wish to extend their hours throughout the festive period, or on particular dates during that period.

“In earlier years a ‘blanket’ extension had been permitted by the board but in 2017 and 2018 the board has permitted extension during the festive period only on application being made and granted.

“In 2018, a total of 70 extended hour applications were received for the 2018 festive period. Of those premises that applied, many identified particular dates during that period on which they wished their licensed hours, as opposed to seeking to extend licensed hours for the duration of the festive period.”

Police Scotland told the board this year: “In recent years the licensing board have agreed to extended hours within the festive period being considered on an application basis. Police Scotland would ask that this practice be continued as it gives the police and members of the public an opportunity to object to any extended hours application they consider may put at risk the principles of the licensing objectives.

“It also has the benefit that

Police Scotland area able to plan resources appropriately for the extended hours in place thereby ensuring the safety of the public.”

Applications generally have to be lodged at least 14 days before the extension. This year’s deadline is November 22.

In 2016 several licensed premises lost out on an additional festive opening hour after missing an application deadline.

All applications for extended hours licences should be lodged at Customer First, Port Street, Stirling or posted to the Licensing Team, Old Viewforth, Stirling, FK8 2ET together with the fee of £10 no later than November 22 or, if after that date with a letter detailing the reason for it being late.