Edinburgh Licensing Board plans to reduce Festive Trading Hours

Proposals by the Edinburgh Licensing Board could see the extended festive hours cut. Under the current Edinburgh Licensing Board policy, Licensed venues in the city are currently able to operate for two additional hours between 18 December and 13 January, but new proposals in the proposed Statement of Licensing Policy may see these hours reduced.

The Edinburgh Licensing Board’s draft policy is still out for consultation with responses being accepted until 12 November.

Trade organisations such as, The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA), Scottish Licensed Trade Association, Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG), Night Time Industry Association (NTIA) and UKHospitality-Scotland are in opposition to the new proposals stating:

“This proposal by the new Licensing Board has come completely out of the blue and without any justification. The hospitality sector is still suffering from the impacts of the pandemic, and is also facing a triple whammy of extortionate energy prices, a cost-of-living crisis, and an increase in taxes across the board. This decision will be met with alarm by the city’s pubs, bars and night-time venues and comes at the worst possible time for the sector.”