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Pubs may be closed over new licence

THE future of thousands of pubs, clubs, hotels and off-sales premises is in doubt after figures show that fewer than half of licensed premises have had managers checked and approved under new laws.

With only 11 weeks before Scotland's new liquor laws come into effect, just over 7500 applications for "personal licences" have been granted, from approximately 17,000 premises.

Previous estimates by the police, who also have to vet applicants, put the potential number of personal licence holders in Scotland as high as 60,000, since larger venues will require more than one holder.All venues must have a licensed premises manager, the person who authorises alcohol sales, by September 1, or they will not be permitted to open. If they still have no licensed premises manager by December 1, the business will be deemed to have lost its licence.

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