Licensing system under review – have your say

Views on Edinburgh’s bars, restaurants and booze shops getting extended opening hours during the summer festivals and Christmas period are being sought as a part of a review of the city’s alcohol licensing system.

Residents, community groups and license holders will have the chance to contribute to a consultation which will help formulate a new policy setting out how the council will consider applications for licensed premises in the future.

The city council’s licensing board is also hoping to gather information on the parts of Edinburgh where there are too many places selling alcohol.

Board convener, Lib Dem councillor Louise Young, said the survey will go live on the council website “as soon as possible” after the terms of the consultation were agreed at a meeting on Monday.

The local authority is seeking a wide range of views for the licensing review which takes place every five years.

Cllr Young said the council is particularly keen to hear views about seasonal licensing and the extension of hours for premises during the festival and festive period.

In the initial consultation, which will run for ten weeks once launched, there will be an emphasis on current licensed hours for bars, restaurants and night clubs, protection of children and young people and temporary licensing.

It will be followed by a formal consultation next year with the whole process set to be wrapped up by August 2023.

In addition, the council’s existing policy which allows an unlimited number of occasional licenses for one-off events to be granted will be looked at during the review.

An assessment of over-provision will also be undertaken to consider where off and on sales are in excess in the capital.

The consultation is not yet live but this is the appropriate page on the council website.

by Donald Turvill, Local Democracy Reporter 

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency: funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.