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THE Scottish Government has no plans to stop members’ clubs accused of abusing the licensing system to the detriment of mainstream operators. In April, SLTN reported that ministers were weighing up action against clubs that were effectively operating as commercial businesses. The position was disclosed in a letter to the manager of Bowl 2000, an Elgin bar, restaurant and bowling alley, who claimed clubs in Moray were offering function facilities to the general public without applying for occasional licences.

Deloitte admits defeat in attempt to find buyer THE axe fell on 685 jobs at wholesaler WaverleyTBS after administrators scaled down efforts to sell the...

Beer category continuing to grow – despite recession, latest report finds THE potential of cask ale to help pubs thrive was underlined last week when...

PLANS for a new business bank, which will provide £1 billion of lending to small businesses, have been given a cautious welcome by business groups and funding specialists. Speaking at the Liberal Democrat autumn conference last week, business, innovation and skills secretary Vince Cable confirmed he is working with chancellor George Osborne to set up a new institution which will combine new government capital with a private sector contribution to provide finance for small and medium-sized companies.

THE wholesale trade was shocked yesterday (October 2) with the news that specialist drinks supplier WaverleyTBS has slid into administration. As many as 830 jobs are on the line at 18 sites across the UK, including 16 in Glasgow, as administrators at Deloitte commit to finding a buyer for the Chesterfield-based firm.

A SECOND attempt to allow councils to ban lap dancing clubs is unlikely to cause existing venues to close, a leading lawyer claimed last week. Sandra White, the SNP MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, has revived her bid to empower local authorities to impose blanket bans on adult entertainment venues in their area, after her previous attempt was defeated in parliament in 2010. Believing lap dancing clubs to be “exploitative”, “demeaning to women” and sometimes linked to criminal activity.

TWO Scottish breweries are set for expansion after receiving grants of almost £2.5 million from the Scottish Government. Glasgow-based Heidi Beers Ltd, which trades as West brewery, was awarded £1.85 million under the government’s Food Processing, Marketing and Cooperation (FPMC) scheme, while Fraserburgh’s Brewdog received £551,000. Both brewers will use the grants to fund ambitious expansion plans. West aims to move all of its production, including the 70% of its operations currently based in Germany.

A CALL was last week made for a more balanced approach to the alcohol debate following the publication of more alcohol harm statistics. Licensing lawyer Stephen McGowan wants the positive role the responsible sale and consumption of alcohol can play in society to be better highlighted, claiming a proper debate on alcohol must consider the benefit as well as the detriment alcohol can bring.

POLICE have moved to reassure Glasgow’s late night operators they will not be asked to pay for extra police on the city’s streets. Bar and club owners feared a blanket ‘polluter pays’ style fee could be levied on late night venues after a newspaper report claimed that some nightclubs were funding extra officers to patrol the city centre.

CRIMINAL gangs will seize the opportunity to cash in if minimum unit pricing for alcohol is introduced in Scotland. The warning came last week from a public policy think-tank, which claims data from HMRC (Her Majesty’s’ Revenue & Customs) proves that organised crime is adept at profiting from a range of market sectors.