End in sight for Glasgow’s early morning pubs

TIME is to be called on early morning drinking in Scotland’s largest city with council bosses set to tighten licensing laws.

Time could soon be called on early morning drinking in Glasgow. Picture: PA

Glasgow City Council has signalled they will no longer be issuing licences for pubs that open before 8am and sell alcohol with a breakfast.

Councillors are expected to finalise a new policy on alcohol next month which will bring an end to pubs opening before 11am.

In recent months police have been increasingly checking on pubs which sell food with alcohol from 8am with action taken against one city centre pub whose barman sold two pints and a shared roll and sausage to undercover officers.

A total of 56 pubs in the council area have permission to open early however only a small amount actually do.

Pubs in Glasgow city centre regularly operating under so-called Grandfather Terms include The Lampost in the Saltmarket, Mackinnon’s and The Whistlin Kirk.

Lampost bar owner William Gibson said: “Absolutely no one comes to the pub without ordering a breakfast. We are very strict on that.

“Any move to stop these licenses will hit businesses and jobs. We are supposed to be encouraging businesses in these tough times not doing the opposite.

“Four jobs are on the line in my pub if this licence goes and maybe we should concentrate on creating jobs.”

Early morning opening was started for the benefit of shift workers and market traders however the factories and markets which once populated the city centre have long since closed.

Police say that those making use of early opening premises are either “unemployed or retired”.

Inspector Duncan Evans said: “These premises can attract people with alcohol problems as off-sales do not open until 11am.”

Health bosses say early opening its often used by people who are unemployed and have addiction issues.