Aberdeen bars apply to stay open until 3am under new scheme

Several Aberdeen bars have applied for a licence to stay open until 3am under a new council scheme.

The Spiritualist, Paramount, Triplekirks and Brewdog hope to stay open later on Friday and Saturday nights.

As well as the extended weekend hours, Brewdog has applied for the bar’s closing time to be extended from midnight to 2am from Sunday through to Thursday.

A submission from the council’s environmental health team for the application said the reputation of the venue should be taken into account by councillors.

The letter to the board from Andrew Gilchrist, principal environmental health officer, reads: “As there is no significant history of noise nuisance from these premises I have no substantive evidence to challenge the grant of this application. However I would seek reassurance that a management plan will be provided that effectively addresses the potential impact to neighbouring residents, specifically from amplified music at these later hours and of control of patrons entering/exiting the premises.”

Should a licence after 1am be granted there would need to be CCTV, door stewards and a radiolink to other pubs in place.

The applications will be considered on Tuesday.

Many nightclub owners have hit out at the new licensing rules which now removes the requirement for venues to provide “significant entertainment” to be given permission for later opening hours.

Tony Cochrane, owner of TGC Leisure, which counts the Club Tropicana nightclubs among its sites, recently raised fears that it would be detrimental for nightclubs in the city.

He said it would “kill off ” the traditional nightclub because people would lose track of their time in pubs and venture out to dance later in the evening.

Brewdog was contacted for comment but did not respond.