Cowgate 'needs more bars'

Patrick Browne says the licensing board needs to justify its stance on pub numbers

A new revised policy from Edinburgh's licensing board states that there remains an "overprovision" of pubs and clubs in the area and that there is a "presumption against" any further licences being issued.

But the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) claims that no evidence has been provided to show why the board is continuing the policy. It said that the total number of pubs across Edinburgh has declined by 14 per cent in the last three years - and claimed there is now nowhere in the city where there is still an overprovision.

Should more pubs be allowed to open in the Cowgate and Grassmarket? Vote here

Patrick Browne, chief executive of the SBPA, said: "The licensing board have not done a comprehensive exercise in order to justify the approach it is taking.

"A lot of other boards that have worked on new licensing policies have done analysis of how many premises there are in a locality, the type of licence they hold and what their capacity is. The Edinburgh board have done no work other than to restate their previous position."

When asked whether he believed more pubs should be allowed to open in the Cowgate and Grassmarket, Mr Browne said: "The feedback we have had from our members is that they do not think there is overprovision. The ball is with the board to justify why they say there is that overprovision. They need police reports, ambulance logs, noise reports. They are obliged to demonstrate what they are saying with evidence and they have not done that."

A consultation into the revised statement of licensing policy is due to close this week, with the board confirming its final policy in the coming months. The policy states that the "recognised overprovision in the locality comprising the Grassmarket/Cowgate and other streets leading into these main thoroughfares" was reaffirmed in July 2007.

And it said that the board believes that "it should continue to regard the locality defined at that time as having an overprovision of licensed premises."

However, any final decision on an individual licence application will be down to councillors on the licensing board, using the policy as guidelines to inform a decision.

Nick Cumming, a local resident and member of the Grassmarket forum, said: "Anybody who wants to see the impact of pubs in this area just needs to come down here on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday and listen to the police and ambulance sirens.

"Residents no longer go out on those nights because it is appalling. You go out and get abused and there is faeces on the street and all sorts. If the licensing board changed this policy (against new premises] there would be a huge outcry among residents. This is the single biggest issue in this area."