Another change to off-licence hours as bill passed
17 Nov 05
Last-minute amendment in parliament cuts off-sale times to 12 hours a day
MSPs yesterday voted to cut the hours off-licences are allowed to sell alcohol, as they passed the Licensing (Scotland) Bill.
The Executive had wanted to extend the hours shops could sell alcohol to permit continuous trading from 3am until 10pm, but backbenchers voted to cut the hours from 8am until 11pm in the bill as it stood, to 10am until 10pm.
In chaotic scenes in the Scottish Parliament yesterday Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition members failed to agree on the issue and the amendment was voted through by Labour members with Conservative support. The rest of the bill was passed apart from another last-minute change tightening up the penalties for selling alcohol to those under 18.
Shopkeepers or others knowingly buying alcohol to sell on to under 18s could be sentenced to three months in prison.
The main changes to the existing laws mean that there is an end to permitted hours for pubs and clubs, but local licensing boards will approve hours for each premises, and 24-hour opening will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. There will be more scope to object to licence applications.