Green light for new Port Street gin shop

A new gin shop has been given the goahead to sell alcohol despite tough guidelines on the further spread of licensed premises in Stirling city centre.

Stirling District licensing board granted the provisonal premises licence for the McQueen Gin Emporium at 8-18 Port Street after the applicant offered to restrict licensed hours to between 10am and 8pm from Monday to Sunday, having originally sought a 10pm limit.

Licensing team leader Stephanie Cameron told the board the distillery visitor centre/off sales was on the ground floor of a four storey building. The premises accommodates a visitor centre and tasting tables and room with glass cabinet to showcase the distillery’s produce. The business also features gin tastings and product development events, and sale of ancillary merchandise like glassware, ceramics, branded clothing, jams and marmalades.

In her report, Ms Cameron added: “Whilst the premises is within the overprovision locality designated by the board, the relevant presumption against the grant of additional licences within the city centre locality applies to on sales premises of a particular description, which this premises is not.”

The board’s overprovision policy, introduced in November 2016, has a presumption against the granting of any further licences for on sales premises “where the consumption of alcohol is the principal attraction”.

Under the policy, establishments such as restaurants or wine bars can still find some favour, but pubs and bars where the main focus is alcohol sales are likely to have a tough time achieving permission. Each application, however, is still considered on its own merits and the board is allowed to make exceptions.

The overprovision policy for the city centre area covers an area bordered by St Mary’s Wynd, Tannery Lane, Cowane Street, Goosecroft Road, Wellgreen, Port Street, Allan Park, Dumbarton Road, Academy Road, St John Street, Broad Street and Bow Street.

McQueen Gin, formed in 2015 by Dale and Vicky McQueen, earlier this year opened a new £750,000 distillery at Upper Drumbane, Callander.

At the time the company employed nine people but expected to create around 15 jobs as operations expanded.