Headline

Operators in Scotland worried about maintaining payments on business loans have been urged to get in touch with a growing campaign group. Bully Banks was set up by SME owners last year to spearhead complaints against the major banks over their conduct in selling interest-rate swap agreements (IRSAs).

THE Scottish Government has been backed to see off a two-part legal challenge to its new minimum pricing legislation. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) confirmed last week that it’s taking action against the controversial policy in the Scottish and European courts. But leading licensees’ group the SLTA said the action only delays the inevitable, claiming that “the moral argument will outweigh the business argument” in the forthcoming courtroom battles.

ONE of the country’s leading licensing experts has questioned new research exploring the link between crime and the availability of alcohol. Solicitor Jack Cummins believes the research, undertaken by academics at Glasgow University, underestimates the power licensing boards have at their disposal. The study, which examined the impact of regeneration on disadvantaged communities in Glasgow, found a direct correlation between crime rates and the number of alcohol outlets in a neighbourhood.

DUNDEE operators are looking forward to a cash windfall in the wake of the storm engulfing Scottish football. While many pubs across the country, particularly in Glasgow and the west, are expecting to see footfall drop due to Rangers’ absence from the SPL, their counterparts in Tayside are hoping income will climb in the opposite direction.

Pubs and nightclubs in Scotland are being targeted by HM Revenue & Customs as part of its latest crackdown on tax dodgers across the UK. Taskforces have been set up to lead “intensive bursts of activity” in what HMRC described as “specific high risk trade sectors” as it seeks to recover £30 million in unpaid taxes.

Operators welcomed Sky’s decision to freeze prices for pubs and clubs – as it was confirmed newco Rangers will not play in the SPL next season. The broadcast giant confirmed its plans early last week, two days before the SPL officially voted to deny the club a spot in the top flight, meaning there will be no Old Firm league clashes in the coming season.

Cognac house Remy Cointreau was staging a surprise move into Scotch whisky earlier this week as it entered into talks to acquire Islay’s Bruichladdich distillery. A statement confirming the move was issued on the day SLTN went to press, with Bruichladdich managing director Mark Reynier also highlighting the development on Twitter.

Trade gives opinions as newco Rangers awaits key vote. Football pubs have been giving SLTN their views on the potential impact on trade if the new Rangers is barred from Scotland’s top football league. SPL clubs will vote on July 4 on whether to admit Charles Green’s Rangers’ newco into Scotland’s top league, with Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United already saying ‘no’.

Strategy outlines plans to grow visitor spend by £1 billion by 2020. AN ambitious industry-led plan to boost Scotland’s tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020 has been unveiled. Launching its Tourism Scotland 2020 growth strategy last week, The Scottish Tourism Alliance, which is comprised of trade associations, businesses and marketing groups, said all corners of the industry must work together if the growth target is to be realised.

Molson Coors and Sky eye growth in independents with collaboration. Molson Coors and Sky have struck a new commercial alliance in a bid to build both companies’ presence in the independent on-trade. The duo reckon as many as 70,000 licensed venues across the UK could benefit from the deal, which offers operators discounts on Sky’s Ultimate package in return for buying drinks through the Carling owner.