14-Apr-2010 By Gemma McKenna
Between a third and a half of premises licences in Scotland have not been issued or are factually incorrect after seven months.
Minimum pricing gathers momentum in Scotland
24-Mar-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
Moves towards minimum pricing in Scotland are gaining momentum with more than 100 submissions of support being sent to the government. The Scottish...
'Storm over MacAskill's drink-laws 'hypocrisy''
18-Mar-2010
The Scottish Government was accused of "hypocrisy" last night for planning a massive crackdown on alcohol abuse while failing to enforce existing...
17-Mar-2010 By John Harrington
Minimum pricing might increase alcohol sales, according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Whisky producer clarifies job loss claims
17-Mar-2010
A leading whisky producer has backtracked over claims that minimum pricing would result in hundreds of job losses. John Beard chief executive of...
'3D Premier League broadcasts to hit pubs after Sky buys 15,000 3DTVs'
17-Mar-2010
3DTV could be coming to a pub near you, after Sky purchased 15,000 3DTV sets from LG, to show weekly Premier League matches in pubs across the UK....
'Youth panel calls for booze ad ban'
16-Mar-2010
A youth panel is to call on the Government to ban alcohol advertisements from public places in a bid to "change Scotland's culture of alcohol...
'Reduce safe drinking limits for overweight people'
12-Mar-2010 By James Wilmore
Alcohol limits for overweight people should be reduced because the combination of obesity and drink act like a "double whammy" greatly increasing the...
Whisky maker warns of 300 job cuts over minimum price plan
10-Mar-2010 By James Wilmore
A leading Scotch whisky maker and supplier has claimed it would cut around 300 jobs if the government went ahead with plans for minimum pricing....
'Call for government ban on social network booze adverts'
09-Mar-2010 By James Wilmore
SCOTLAND'S leading alcohol doctors are calling on the four UK governments to support a ban on the promotion of alcohol on social networking sites....
Scots government dismisses minimum price ruling
05-Mar-2010 By James Wilmore
The Scottish government has played down claims that its plans for a minimum price on alcohol have been scuppered by a European ruling on tobacco....
05-Mar-2010 By John Harrington
A new ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) shows that minimum pricing is illegal, says the Scotch Whisky Association.
'Minimum price plan for alcohol backed by children's charities'
01-Mar-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
Children's charities have backed the Scottish Government's plans for minimum pricing on alcohol. A consortium of Scottish children's organisations...
26-Feb-2010 By Gemma McKenna
BII Scotland has appointed a new chairman, Kenny Mitchell of Glasgow's KMT Services. Over 60 people attended the annual general meeting held at...
King's Wark wins Scotland's best pub grub award
24-Feb-2010 By Lesley Foottit
The King's Wark in Shore, Edinburgh has won the title of Best Pub Grub at the third annual Scottish Restaurant Awards. The awards, hosted by food...
24-Feb-2010 By Lesley Foottit
Isle of Skye hotel Kinloch Lodge has added "beer flights" to its Michelin-starred menu. Beer flights are a selection of beers given to customers to...
23-Feb-2010 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report
Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company, the 2,000-strong tenanted and leased group owned by Heineken, is to market for sale up to 100 pubs this spring.
'Mephedrone bigger than ecstasy in Scottish pubs'
21-Feb-2010
Deadly party drug mephedrone is becoming bigger than ecstasy in pubs and clubs across Scotland, experts warned yesterday. Police are reporting an...
Legal high drug ban could be extended
17-Feb-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
A 'legal high' drug which has already been banned from pubs in a Scottish town could face similar treatment across the country. Customers caught...
05-Feb-2010 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report
The lead bank to Merchant Inns, the collapsed pubs-with-rooms operator, is believed to have retained control of the group. Reports at the weekend...
Scottish microbrewers to get own trade group
27-Jan-2010 By James Wilmore
Plans to form a trade body for small brewers in Scotland are set to be launched at a meeting tomorrow (Thursday). Petra Wetzel, managing director of...
Tennent's boss backs Scottish minimum pricing
25-Jan-2010 By James Wilmore
The boss of one of Scotland's biggest drinks brands has backed the government's controversial plans for minimum pricing. Mike Lees, managing...
Trade group calls for "level playing field" in Scotland
21-Jan-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
A trade group in Scotland has called for a "level playing field" between pubs and supermarkets when it comes to regulating drinks promotions. The...
21-Jan-2010 By John Harrington
A Scottish trade group has called for a "level playing field" on drinks promotions between pubs and shops as the Scottish Parliament plans further...
15-Jan-2010 By Ewan Turney
The cider market in Great Britain continues to be tough, according to Magners producer C&C Group, which announced a 15% decline in volumes for...
07-Jan-2010 By Gemma McKenna
Scottish breweries are struggling to deliver beer during the "worst winter in almost 50 years". Yesterday locals got together in the freezing...
Council attempts to force venue open later to sell alcohol
09-Dec-2009
A council's bid to force a supermarket to stay open for all of the hours of its licence could have wide-reaching implications for the trade. Legal...
08-Dec-2009 By John Harrington
More pubs in Scotland are being banned from selling alcohol as the chaos over licensing reform continues. A deadline of 1 December was set for...
02-Dec-2009 By John Harrington
The Scottish Government has abandoned plans to force pubs to serve wine in 125ml servings, says trade chief Patrick Browne.
Molson Coors and C&C agree new Magners contract
26-Nov-2009 By Gemma McKenna
Molson Coors UK and C&C Group have agreed in principle to extend the distribution contract for draught Magners in England and Wales. It is...
26-Nov-2009 By Gemma McKenna
The Scottish Government has published its controversial Alcohol Bill, which will give ministers powers to impose a minimum price, introduce a new tax...
Scotland set to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol
26-Nov-2009 By Hamish Champ
The Scottish government has today published its long-awaited Alcohol Bill, which includes powers for ministers to set a minimum price for alcohol....
Debt collectors allowed to take cash from tills
24-Nov-2009
Pubs and clubs in Scotland that run into serious financial trouble can be raided by debt collectors, under UK law which became effective north of the...
19-Nov-2009 By John Harrington
First-time recipients of Best Bar None Awards in Scotland will get free hand-held metal detectors. The news, which was met with a cautious welcome...
06-Nov-2009 By Ewan Turney & John Harrington
Plans to introduce a minimum price on alcohol in Scotland suffered a further significant blow yesterday. During a debate, called for by the...
Lowlander in pre-pack restructure
06-Nov-2009 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report
Lowlander, the fledgling Belgian beer concept, has been restructured via a pre-pack administration. The process has seen the group emerge with its...
'Heineken buys Tchenguiz's pub chain from receivers'
30-Oct-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Heineken has arranged to buy the assets of Globe Pub Company, owned by property entrepreneur Robert Tchenguiz, from receivers for £180m. The money...
One in three Scottish pubs still waiting for licences
28-Oct-2009
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...
Janet Hood: How many more licensed premises does Scotland need to lose?
21-Oct-2009
Unlike the position in England and Wales no effective grandfather rights were vested in transition. Apart from premises not being able to be knocked...
Diageo "unconvinced" by minimum pricing
30-Sep-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Diageo has hit back at claims by the Scottish government that a minimum price for alcohol would help tackle alcohol-related problems north of the...
Minimum price would 'save hundreds of lives'
28-Sep-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
A minimum price for alcohol of 40p per unit and a ban on off-sales promotions would save hundreds of lives in Scotland, according to new research....
25-Sep-2009 By Ewan Turney
A complete ban on cigarette vending machines in Scottish pubs has moved a step closer after MSPs voted in favour of the bill.
New version of Guinness being trialled
14-Sep-2009
A trial begins today in 13 pubs in Fife and Edinburgh of a lower alcohol version of Guinness. Guinness producer Diageo has said that the 2.8 per cent...
'The British Medical Association says it is not 'anti-alcohol'. Well, it should be'
11-Sep-2009 By James Wilmore
The British Medical Association published a report on the dangers of drink this week, but assured us the organisation is not "anti-alcohol". Well, it...
Unions claim Diageo jobs battle has "long way to go
11-Sep-2009 By James Wilmore
Unions fighting jobs cuts by Diageo in Scotland have vowed to set up their fight against the drinks giant's plans - declaring there is a "very long...
'Diageo plant closure could cost local economy £15m'
03-Sep-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Diageo's decision to close its Johnnie Walker whisky bottling and packaging plant in Kilmarnock is likely to cost the East Ayrshire economy about...
Scotland's minimum price plan confirmed
03-Sep-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond today confirmed the government's plans to introduce minimum pricing to tackle alcohol problems north of the...
03-Sep-2009 By Ewan Turney
The closure of the Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock could cost the local economy £15m a year, the Scottish finance minister has warned....
03-Sep-2009 By John Harrington
Doubts have been raised about whether a proposed move to force licensing chiefs to consider bans on alcohol sales to U-21s will apply to pubs.
Scottish Licensing Act in force from today
01-Sep-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Major changes for pubs in Scotland take effect from today with the introduction of the new Licensing Act. Under the new system pubs must have both a...
