Pubs unite over early last orders plan

PUB owners have joined forces to fight a new policy which they claim could sound the death knell for early morning drinking in the Capital's bars.

From September, watering holes across the city can only open for a maximum of 16 hours every day as part of new guidelines aimed at improving public health.

The city's publicans, many of whom currently operate a 19-hour day, believe losing three hours of business on a daily basis could cripple them. The move is expected to hit morning bars the hardest, with the early hours being cut in order to stay open in the evenings.

The city currently has 33 licensed premises, some of which are hotels, opening at 6am – a popular drinking time with shift workers and pensioners looking for company.

In Leith, co-owner of Gladstones, Peter Swanson, and co-owner of The Marksman, Lorraine Rourke, are showing a united front by joining together to oppose the new plans. Both pubs currently operate from 6am-1am but the publicans have opted to open from 9am-1am when the new law comes into force in September.

They have both presented cases to the city council's licensing board to retain their 19-hour days, but these have been dismissed.

Mr Swanson, 49, said: "We are going to get together and create a group to put pressure on the licensing board. I think it's ridiculous the way they are treating us as publicans. This is supposed to be a democracy but this is a dictatorship. The council do not have a single concern for the people that they are supposed to represent."

He added: "It was virtually impossible to decide when to close for three hours. We run darts, pool and dominoes at night time. I think I'll lose 30 per cent of my income when the hours change."

The change is due to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, which recommends a maximum 14-hour opening – the city council will allow 16 hours in any 24 – a measure which is designed to cut crime and disorder, prevent public nuisance and improve public health.

Mrs Rourke, 52, who presented a 70-strong petition to the licensing board on Tuesday but had her case to retain The Marksman's current hours thrown out, added: "We are going to get in touch with The Scotsman, The Phoenix and Brunswick Bar, who all open at 6am, to see if they want to join us.

Mr Swanson and Mrs Rourke also plan to start another petition.

A spokesman for the city council said: "Licence holders affected have the right to choose which trading hours are most valuable to them."