Pub landlords gather for licensing hours crunch meeting

A ROSS-SHIRE pub is one of a number of Highland venues invited to outline their revised door entry policies following the high profile demise of the “Cinderella” curfew.

The midnight rule, which barred customers from entering venues after that time, will formally be consigned to history next week after it was axed by the Highland Licensing Board last month on the casting vote of chairwoman Maxine Smith.

It followed a major consultation in the region and a successful campaign by a pressure group which secured the end of the curfew, despite strong police opposition to the move as senior officers voiced concerns about public safety.

Licensees in Inverness removed the restriction, which had been in place for almost a decade, following the board’s decision after venue owners were told no action would be taken against them even though the curfew still technically applied.

Thirteen licensees from the city, Dingwall, Thurso and Aviemore have been asked to attend the board’s review hearing in Inverness on Tuesday when the decision will be rubber stamped.

A report to councillors states the curfew is no longer considered necessary for the purposes of any of its licensing objectives and venue owners will be given the chance to discuss their specific door entry policies.

Meanwhile, the possibly of a reinstated curfew during the festive period appears to have abated.

Invergordon-based councillor Maxine Smith had warned last month that a temporary return of the curfew could be on the cards because some pubs are allowed to remain open until 2am during specific nights at Christmas and New Year through a special licence extension.

That could see night clubs, which shut at 3am, lose out on customers because the pubs are open for longer and the licensing chairwoman said reinstating a curfew could have been one method employed to ensure patrons come in through their doors because of the anomaly.

However, no applications have been made to the board for the forthcoming holiday period.

The Picture House in Dingwall is one of the venues invited to the hearing in Inverness.