Scottish drink laws introduced today

1st September 2009, 12:26pm

New Scottish licensing laws have come into force today to help slash alcohol-related problems across the country.

Under the 2005 Licensing Scotland Act, drink promotions such as happy hours will end and consumers will only be able to buy alcohol from off-sales between 10am and 10pm.

Other new legal requirements include restricting alcohol to one area in store and each shop needing a personally licensed premises manager on site when alcohol is sold. All staff dealing with alcohol have to be re-trained.

However the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said this process was confusing and said it's not fair on those shops and staff who have not received their new licenses from licensing boards despite applying on time.

The SRC also said that the government hasn't done enough to inform the public: "People across Scotland who regularly shop first thing in the morning – shift-workers, parents after the school-run and early risers – will find they can no longer include alcohol in their shopping before 10am."

Ian Shearer, Scottish Retail Consortium director, added: "We recognise the huge and genuine efforts made by all involved to bring this new system in on schedule, but gaps remain. For retailers, especially those struggling in the recession, the compliance costs and burdens have been out of proportion. This is not better regulation and consumers will be surprised by some of the changes. It again calls into question the rush to yet more legislation later this year."

However community safety minister Fergus Ewing told the BBC that the changes would help prevent crime and disorder: "The 2005 Act clearly sets out the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, securing public safety, preventing the public nuisance, protecting and improving public health and protecting children from harm."

Related Articles:

• 08 Sep 2009 - BMA calls for ban on alcohol advertising
• 03 Sep 2009 - BII says we are killing our tourism industry
• 03 Mar 2009 - Tackling Scotland's alcohol misuse problems
• 04 Dec 2008 - Cheap drinks and promotions are banned

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a campbell

02 September 2009 at 8:40am

im honestly not bothered about the new 10am to 10pm to retailers the real problem with drink laws is that pubs become so overpriced with drinks for example 2.80 a pint of the same lager you can buy in a supermarket for 80p 3.75 if you go to a festival isnt this getting beyond a joke and some pubs offer a certain deal say half price pints your actually getting your moneys worth and you can take your time i think its just another excuse for the greedy taxing goverment its just going to make more people buy a lot more drink from shops before they go out to pubs and clubs and end up in probably the same drunken state they always do nothings going to change except maybe a few more pubs closing which is probably the reason behind it all more people in the house drinking and less socialising

b stokes

09 September 2009 at 7:02pm

I have just been imformed by CAMRA that I can no longer use vouchers for 50p off a pint at my local weatherspoon thanks a lot to THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT antidrink laws. The majority suffer for the minority. However, people can still go to Lidl, Aldi or Tesco and buy cut price alcohol, get drunk and fight with the police. What has been solved by introducing this legislation,-----nothing as usual.

janet

17 September 2009 at 10:47am

We were asked to leave a hotel last night. My brother is over from Canada, we haven't seen each other in years and the manager wouldn't even allow us to have a soft drink together after hours. I couldn't drink alcohol anyway because I was driving. I don't think the law is confusing, I think it's a new license for idiots to act like Gods.

d mc minn

14 April 2011 at 7:46pm

ive worked in pubs and clubs for over 20 years and ive never seen such nonsense as it is now , they blame the pubs for underage drinking when its clearly supermarkets and shops you wont find many underagers falling out of pubs but you might find a few camped out in parks and cycle paths on a sat night not with a 2 80 pint of lager but with a 200 btl of cider and a 6 pnd btl of buckfast , but its going to be 2 late to save the trade by the time the government realise it i say back to basics where the pub is the only place you can buy a beer.

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