Fears over Scots pub closures

More than 10 per cent of Scottish pubs, clubs and restaurants could have shut by the time the new Licensing Act takes effect next year, a trade group has warned.

Figures obtained by the Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) reveal a "mixed performance" from premises having to submit new licence applications, prior to the Act taking effect next September.

In the worst case, in Shetland, only 37 per cent of applications have been lodged.

The SBPA also highlighted the situation in Aberdeen, where 22 venues have so far failed to submit a licence application. Of these venues, 12 have shut.

Patrick Browne, the SBPA's chief executive, said: "Whilst it is difficult to extrapolate from a relatively small sample, if the Aberdeen pattern was repeated across the whole of Scotland then as many as one in eight of Scotland's 17,000 commercially licensed premises will either have ceased trading or will do so after licensing transition."

The figures, looking at how many venues had lodged applications before the deadline for the first phase last March, overall found that one in six had yet to do so.

Applications can however still be lodged with the final phase of applications early next year.

But pubs risk losing their grandfather rights if they do not apply for a licence within their allotted time period. The authorities could also refuse a licence on the basis of "overprovision" of licensed premises in the area.

Figures from Glasgow were more encouraging where 94 per cent of applications have been submitted.

Browne added that the figures suggested that some licensing boards had been "more proactive than others in encouraging licensees to submit applications".