Holyroodhouse first Royal residence granted licence to sell alcohol

Published on Tuesday 20 January 2004 00:00

THE Queen is set to become a landlady after applications for a pub and off-sales licence were granted for the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Edinburgh District Council Licensing Board granted both applications without objection yesterday, paving the way for the palace to become the first Royal residence to serve alcohol to paying customers.

Visitors to the historic site may be able to buy Palace of Holyroodhouse whisky, as well as Royal vintage wines. Solicitors for the Palace of Holyroodhouse had requested an off-sales licence and a public-house licence earlier this year.

The chairman of the licensing board, Phil Atridge, passed the applications without objection.

Councillors accepted that Royal staff were "fit and proper people" to hold a licence. The public-house licence will allow the palace to sell alcohol at a bar in its new caf, which is under construction.

A Palace of Holyroodhouse spokesman said staff were still considering the possibilities for selling alcohol in the palace. He added: "We applied for an off-sales licence, but not with any specific plan in mind.

"The main aim of applying for the licence is simply to give us the flexibility to plan for the future. We were glad to hear the news that our applications have been granted."