Glasgow faces glass and bottle ban

Pubs and bars in Glasgow are gearing up for a ban on glasses and bottles as the authorities aim to tackle alcohol-related violence.

The ban is set to be phased in this month in the city centre and be rolled out to the rest of the city over the next 12 months.

Licensees will be made to transfer alcoholic drinks into plastic containers or aluminium containers as part of the ban.

But the Scottish trade has reacted with anger and disbelief at the ban. Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: "We support a ban on glass in problem venues, especially nightclubs, but a blanket ban is totally unfair.

"There are many well-run local pubs that will suffer unnecessarily.

"The signal it sends out to the rest of the world about Glasgow is very negative and will be bad for tourism."

However Malcolm Cunning, vice chairman of Glasgow licensing board, said he was confident the scheme would be successful. "On the whole there has been an acceptance of it," he said.

"But we will exercise common sense. Where there is a dining area, we will not be expecting people to be drinking champagne out of a plastic beaker."

In Edinburgh reports that city officials are planning to introduce a similar scheme have been denied.

Donald Urquhart, head of Edinburgh's antisocial behaviour decision, said: "Nothing has been decided, but the licensing board address these types of issues on an on-going basis.

"We will pay attention to Glasgow and if it's successful elsewhere we will give it serious consideration."