One in three Scottish pubs still waiting for licences

Concern is mounting over the new Scottish premises licences after a trade body revealed research suggesting at least one in three have still not been issued.

The Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) said that it is becoming "increasingly concerned" as feedback from its members suggested that as of last week up to 40 per cent had not yet been issued.

The SBPA - whose membership operates 1,500 of Scotland's 5,200 pubs - added that the trade would be lucky if all the licences had been issued by Christmas.

The new licences under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 originally had to be issued by September 1 but this deadline was extended to November 1.

The SBPA figures do not account for licenses that have had to be returned because they contained errors, of which there are believed to be a number.

SBPA chief executive Patrick Browne, said: "Given that all applicants had to have submitted paperwork to licensing boards by September 1, there can now be no doubt that the latest problems in issuing licences are completely down to some boards failing to administer the process effectively."

"It would appear that the process of licensing transition in Scotland which has already rumbled on for two months beyond the 1st September shows no signs of ending in a number of boards areas.

"The responsibility for that situation rests squarely with those licensing boards and with the Scottish Government which did not act sooner to address the growing problems which have been apparent for several months."