Glasgow pubs get emergency three-month licensing extension

Pubs in Glasgow have been given an extra three months to have a premises licence in place following further chaos in the wake of the new regime.

Glasgow licensing board, Scotland's biggest, has issued its own emergency three-month extension to the government's failed November 1 deadline for new licences.

This came after it emerged that 300 premises across the city still haven't provided details of nominated premises managers.

As a stop-gap fix, Glasgow has told licensees that where a premises manager is not yet officially named on a licence there must be someone on site "fulfilling the obligations and responsibilities of a premises manager".

But licensees failing to supply details of premises managers by December 1 stand to lose their licence.

Board convenor Stephen Dornan said this deadline was a matter of law, adding "no amount of goodwill or discretion on the part of the board can change that."

Licensing lawyer Archie MacIver of Glasgow-based Brunton Miller said: "The Glasgow board has done its best for the trade in what have been very difficult circumstances."

The Scottish government had previously caved in to pressure from trade groups to issue a two-month "period of grace" over new licences.

This was after it became clear hundreds of premises caught in a log-jammed processing system wouldn't have full permissions in place by the new Licensing Act's official September 1 start date.

Other areas struggling to issue licences include Falkirk and Argyll and Bute. One board, North Lanarkshire, which failed to issue a single licence by September 1, says it is currently working to clear a backlog of both personal and premises licences.

Scottish Beer and Pub Association chief executive Patrick Browne says SBPA members' feedback shows 40 per cent of premises licences nationally have still not been issued.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill has written to boards telling them to do their best to meet their obligations.