Pubs bid for 8am Sunday opening

Published on Saturday 3 April 2010 11:17

LICENSING chiefs may let pubs open as early as 8am on Sunday mornings.

Dozens of licensed premises in the Capital have banded together in an attempt to force through the change which would allow them to sell alcohol during live TV sport events or before early matches at Easter Road, Tynecastle and Murrayfield.

The city council, which is currently carrying out a consultation on whether to change the rules, is to make a decision next month. At present, no bar may sell alcohol on a permanent basis before 12:30pm on a Sunday, although they can apply for "occasional" licences for individual events.

Councillor Eric Barry, a member of the city's licensing board, said: "The whole point of the consultation is we will listen to what people have to say first.

"We have not yet discussed our view as a board, nor will we until the consultation is complete.

"After we have the responses in, we will discuss whether we can allow pubs in areas like Gorgie, Haymarket or Leith to open before midday.

"A lot are looking for 8am on match days because there are more early kick-offs on a Sunday now.

"You're talking almost every pub on Leith Walk, Easter Road and Gorgie wanting to do it."

It is understood scores of pubs have told the licensing board that they want to sell alcohol from 8am. Mercat Bar boss Graham Blaikie recently criticised the city's licensing board for not allowing the West Maitland Street bar to sell alcohol before 12:30pm on the day of a Six Nations rugby match.

His father Stuart today said they want a 10am Sunday licence.

"It is strange that you have got a 9am licence for the whole week then on a Sunday you have to wait until 12:30pm," said Mr Blaikie.

"It is a big thing when it comes to rugby matches, but then they only happen on a Sunday two or three times a year.

"On other days, we wouldn't want a pub full of drinkers when people are having breakfast, but it seems a bit archaic to not have alcohol before 12:30pm.

In this day and age, with there being so many tourists around, they are always surprised when they ask for a drink that they are told they can't have one on a Sunday morning."

Under the new licensing laws in Edinburgh, bars are allowed to sell alcohol for 16 hours.

However, one licensing source admitted they would be concerned about morning drinking on Sundays.

They said: "Often if you choose to live near pubs you know the consequences, but I do not want to make these consequences worse than they already are."

Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: "As an association, our position is that as long as people are treated fairly that is fine.

"It used to be 12:30pm out of respect for people going to church.

"Now some areas allow off-sales to open earlier so if that is the case maybe pubs should be allowed to as well."

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