OFF-sales businesses applying for liquor licences in the Borders are down by around a third, according to figures obtained by TheSouthern from Scottish Borders Council, writes Andrew Keddie.
The statistics indicate that, as in other parts of Scotland, increased fees and bureaucracy are forcing many outlets to take the view that selling alcohol is just not worth the effort under radical new licensing legislation.
But most pubs appear t
o be willing to pay the extra cost and meet the burdens imposed by the system.
Under a regime which will be fully implemented in September next year, pub licensees, who currently pay £172 for a three-year permit to sell drink, must fork out up to £1,600 just to register their premises with Scottish Borders Licensing Board.
Registration also involves an annual fee and requires all applicants, old and new, to commission and present detailed drawings of their premises to ensure they comply with fire and health and safety regulations. Such plans must also highlight seating arrangements and areas suitable for children.
Operating plans and risk assessments must also be prepared. On top of that, every operator must obtain a personal licence costing £50, and only after special training, again underwritten by the licensee, will these authorisations be granted.
The dual licence system, enshrined in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, has been bolstered by a policy statement from the board which has east (Hawick, Kelso, Jedburgh, Berwickshire) and west (Selkirk, Melrose, Galashiels, Peebles etc) divisions.
These operating rules dictate that all premises must be soundproofed and that all drinks sold after midnight must be in plastic containers.
Applications for the new licences are being invited in four tranches, based on when current permits expire.
In the first wave, received by March 31 this year, 88 out of the 103 eligible premises in the Borders, applied. This chimed with a national sample across other board areas which indicated one sixth of currently licensed businesses in Scotland had declined to reapply.
In the Borders, an even greater degree of resistance is reflected in the second batch of bids which were submitted by the deadline of September 30.
In the west division, 85 applications were expected and 71 submitted. Of the 34 existing off-sales businesses, only 24 had been received by the board, which comprises elected members of Scottish Borders Council. Of the 24 pub licence bids anticipated, 21 were received. All 19 eligible hotels sought a new licence, along with six of the seven restaurants.
A similar picture emerges in the east division, with just 10 of the 17 off-sales licences in the second tranche putting in applications, along with 20 of the 22 pubs. Hotel licence bids are down one – from seven to six.
One businesswoman who has decided not to reapply for a new permit and prefers not to be named, told TheSouthern: “Alcohol sales do not form the main part of our business and, in the current financial climate, we just cannot justify the cost and hassle of going for a new licence.
“I’m sure that will be the case for most of the people who are not bothering.”
