Lawyers' Licensing Bill fears
20 Apr 05
Local authority lawyers raise concerns over shake-up of licensing system
Changes to Scotland's licensing system could make it difficult to stop landlords with connections to organised crime, according to local authority lawyers.
Under the new Licensing (Scotland) Bill a person's ability to hold a licence will be based on actual convictions, not whether they are "fit and proper".
The Society of Local Authority Lawyers and Administrators (SOLAR) believes that this is too restrictive and will exclude other disreputable behaviours such as the number of complaints to the police or call-outs to a bar, pub or club. It is also concerned that it may result in proposed licence holders being presented to a board who are in reality a front for organised crime.
The Society has submitted its concerns to the Scottish Parliament's local government and transport committee. In a further point it questions a proposed ban on garages from holding licences, as detrimental to rural communities where the garage may be the only village store.