Glasgow set to ban drinks promotions

Glasgow's licensing board may ban happy hours from January next year in response to the recommendations of the Nicholson Committee report.

Although there are no details as yet on how the board plans to crack down on such promotions it is thought it may follow the approach of local councils such as Perth and Kinross.

Under these schemes local authorities impose a minimum price for drinks in return for extended opening hours.

Nicholson's recommendations, published in August, are expected to be used as the basis for a new licensing system in Scotland. The report said any pubs that want extended hours will have to face certain restrictions on their licence.

Gordon Macdiarmid, the convener of the licensing board, said: "As a clear statement of our goal to rid Glasgow of irresponsible promotions that encourage binge-drinking, we are announcing our intention to impose conditions on regular extensions.

"Such conditions will be imposed from the January 2004 meeting of the licensing board, as existing licences and permissions are renewed."

Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, welcomed the move. He said: "This appears to be a complete U-turn from the free-market ideology that was expressed by the board over the last few months. We would welcome its intervention in this way to eradicate the irresponsible drinks promotions.

"The policy of the board has been to allow more and more places to open and we urge it strongly to stop granting licences in city centres."

Gordon Miller, chief executive of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, said: "We are against irresponsible promotions and welcome any positive move to stop operators who run their businesses irresponsibly.

"We will wait and see what kind of shape the Glasgow move takes."

Alcohol-related deaths rise​

A survey by Glasgow Council revealed that between 1996 and 2001 deaths due to alcohol had topped 400. The death toll for men rose by 57 per cent and by 20 per cent for women.

In 2001 alone, the city's death toll reached 405.

The council has initiated a three-year plan to tackle the crisis, after the same survey revealed that 42 per cent of drinkers aged 16 to 24 and 27 per cent of all adults were exceeding recommended weekly limits.

Glasgow's fatality rate for alcohol-related deaths is 60 per cent higher than the rest of Scotland's.