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SHETLAND Islands Council has been accused of a conflict of interest over the decision to grant extended hours to the Mareel, the Lerwick-based arts centre. The islands’ area licensing board approved nine applications from the Mareel, operated by the Shetland Arts Trust, allowing it to be licensed to 2am and host club nights run by promoters such as Slam, the major dance music brand.

BUSINESSES engaged in all parts of the alcohol industry in Scotland are being targeted by HMRC as it continues its quest to retrieve millions of pounds of unpaid tax. The taxman confirmed last week that a new task force was now undertaking a fresh burst of activity to bring tax cheats in the trade to book.

Merged breweries confirm opening of first pub in Glasgow. The newly-merged Isle of Arran and Isle of Skye breweries have confirmed plans to open their first craft beer pub in Glasgow city centre. Arran Brewery plc – the new holding company for the two breweries – has acquired the leasehold of premises in a former bank on the corner of West Regent and Hope Streets

S&N name dropped as brewer relaunches leaseholder agreements. Heineken has become the latest major landlord to revamp its lease deals after announcing sweeping changes to its pubco division. The brewer today unveils a new name for its pub business, broadens its range of leases and builds what it says is greater flexibility into existing deals.

Tourism marketing body pledges to help industry find alternative option. VisitScotland has pledged to help hoteliers find alternative third party booking systems after confirming plans to scrap its own online reservations facility next month.

TV star Kate Thornton was in Glasgow last night to hand out the gongs at the 17th SLTN Awards, the recognition scheme hosted and organised by Scottish Licensed Trade News (SLTN). The celebrity presented awards to 23 of Scotland’s best pubs, clubs, restaurants, staff and operators before an audience of 700 at the five-star Hilton hotel. And Glasgow’s Stravaigin, the bar and restaurant on Gibson Street, was the star of the show, lifting no fewer than three of the prestigious prizes.

INVERARITY Morton is poised to dramatically broaden the choice of spirits it offers outlets around Scotland after swooping to acquire LA Wholesale. IM confirmed the deal to buy the specialist spirits wholesaler, a division of Scott Gemmell’s LA Group, for an undisclosed sum yesterday (October 31). With its strength traditionally lying in wine and mainstream beers and spirits, the move significantly boosts IM’s presence in the fast-growing premium end of the spirits market.

THE Scotch Whisky Association said it is “disappointed” the judicial review of Scotland’s minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol legislation has been adjourned until January. The Scottish Government requested that the Court of Session hearing into the legality of its plans to implement a 50p a unit minimum price for alcohol, which was due to get underway last Tuesday (October 23), be postponed to allow it to respond to “detailed technical reports” it said the SWA provided a week before the hearing.

LICENSED businesses around Scotland were forced to quickly find new sources of drink supply last week after the sudden collapse of WaverleyTBS. The wholesaler ceased trading with the loss of 685 jobs on October 8 – six days after entering administration. Administrators at Deloitte have retained a team of 97 to help it realise value from the company’s assets, having almost conceded defeat in its attempts to find a buyer.

THE runners and riders in this year’s SLTN Awards have been revealed. With the SLTN Awards 2012 just two weeks away, a special preview brochure, included with this issue of SLTN, lists the finalists in each of the 20 contested categories. The winners, along with the recipients of the SLTN Entrepreneur of the Year and Industry Achievement awards, will be revealed at the SLTN Awards, which takes place at Glasgow’s Hilton hotel on William Street on Thursday November 1.