In the News

Glasgow’s City Slickers.

City Slickers…

Exiles from Glasgow are usually amazed at the massive changes the city has undergone when they return after a long absence. But one of the biggest changes they see is the Glaswegian night life. Gone are the days when a few drinks in a dingy local, followed by a fish supper on the way home, was considered a night out.

Cheap package holidays to the fun loving Continent have shown Mr and Mrs Glasgow what letting their hair down is really all about. Now, thanks to the inventiveness, flair and sheer determination of a number of enterprising businessmen who have spotted a huge potential market for night-time entertainment in Glasgow, they have an exciting and ever-expanding choice of places to wine, dine, dance and have a good time.

This week it was announced that the owner of one of the city’s new look eating houses, the Ad-Lib in Hope Street, has sold out and will be ploughing cash back into a glittering new night-club complex.

Here we talk to just some of the men who have helped in recent years to build Glasgow up into what many entrepreneurs believe will eventually become one of Europe’s top cities for night life.

The Men Who Have Brightened Up Glasgow’s Night Life……..

“The Potential Was There…” When Eddie Topalian wanted to open a business in Britain, he toured the country and found that there was no middle-of-the-road place in Glasgow for the average man in the street to dine in.

There were, as he put it, plenty of “shabby” establishments and a few very expensive places, but nowhere in between. “I knew the city had potential,” he said. “I was also told that the people didn’t have the money to spend anyway, but I have since proved them wrong.”

PROPHECY

Eddie’s success story began when he opened the Ad-Lib hamburger restaurant in Hope Street in 1974. A new concept in eating out, with its interesting American menu, Glaswegians quickly latched on to it.

This week Eddie sold the establishment for an undisclosed sum reported to be a Scottish record for a place of its size. He now plans to pour it all into the creation of a nightclub complex just off Buchanan Street. The precise details of the venture he is yet prepard to reveal, but he says, “When it does open, there will be nothing like it in Scotland, or maybe even in London.”

Mr Eddie Toplian.

Armenian-born Eddie, an ex-medical student, added, “I have made a prophecy, and I’m still sticking to it, that when the licensing laws change completely in this country, Glasgow will be one of the major centres of entertainment in Europe. “And if no one else does it, then I’II make damn sure that I do.”

THE MEN WHO STARTED IT ALL…

Few people have done more to influence the night-time leisure activities of Glaswegians and Scots in general than Reo Stakis.

Since opening his first Scottish restaurant in Glasgow 25 years ago, he has built up his empire to an impressive list of 40 restaurants, 23 hotels, and six casino, most of them in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.

Mr Reo Stakis, 1978.

Said a spokesman for the Stakis organisation, “He saw a great gap in the leisure activities available to the public in Glasgow, and has since revolutionized the eating-out habits of the Scot.

“A man taking his wife or girl-friend out for a meal knows what he is going to pay for it, and that he will get good value for money. “And when he opened his casinos he saw them not so much as hard gambling establishments, but as family places where people, instead of going home when everything closed at 10.30 p.m., could go for a meal, or a snack, and a flutter on the tables.

“He found that the Glaswegian most definitely does not mind paying for something as long as he knows he is getting value for money.” Apart from the glitter of his three Glasgow casinos, the Chavalier in Buchanan Street, the Regency in Waterloo Street, and the Princes in Sauchiehall Street, Stakis could perhaps be credited with bringing entertainment into pubs.

Now an accepted feature of many pubs throughout the country, Stakis introduced casual entertainment into his pubs about a decade ago.

PLENTY OF BIG SPENDERS…

Italian restaurateur Mario Romano has witnessed a remarkable change in his Glaswegian customers over the last decade. “Fifteen years ago they knew what a plate of spaghetti was, and that was about it, he says, hands waving in the air in typical Latin gesture.

“But now he knows exactly what he wants, and can choose a good wine to go with it.” Mario should know, he owns the exclusive Ambassador restaurant in Blythswood Square, O’ Sole Mio in Bath Street and the plush Campsie Glen hotel near Lennoxtown.

Mr Mario Romano.

“A lot of things can still be done to improve night life in Glasgow,” said Mario, who comes from Naples, “But it will come gradually. You can’t give too much all at once. “But it is getting better. When I came here in 1961, you could count the number of restaurants on one hand.

“And the Glaswegian is a big spender, as long as he doesn’t make a fuss if he is not happy with a meal, he just asks quietly for it to be changed.”

NOT EVERY NIGHT IS CHRISTMAS EVE…

Businessman Teri Alvis was ashamed of Glasgow when he attempted to entertain clients in the city. There was, he says, simply nothing to do.

After years of globetrotting, during which he visited some of the world’s top nightspots he decided to try and brighten up evening leisure time for Glaswegians. “when you come out of your house in the morning in Glasgow,” said Mr Alvis, “it is so grey.

Mr Teri Alvis, 1978.

“I decided I wanted to open a restaurant. But I didn’t want it to be just a restaurant. I wanted it to be a place where every night is Christmas Eve.” So he opened Blazes’ in North Street. Now visitors to the restaurant can enjoy good food, giggle over the nicely naughty cocktail menu from His Bunny Bar where the drinks are served by gorgeous Bunny Girls, have their fortunes told by a real gipsy palmist take part in boisterous yard-of-ale drinking competitions, and listen to top cabaret.

THE DEAD CITY HAS COME ALIVE…

Mr Gino Romano, 1978.

Gino Romano, Mario’s younger brother, had a nickname for Glasgow when he first arrived in the city from Naples… La Tomba Dei, which means “the tomb of the living people.”

“I have seen a lot of places in the world, but Glasgow was unbelievable,” he explained. “The city was dead but the people in it were alive.

“Thankfully, in the last few years this has changed a lot. The new licensing laws have helped and life has become much faster in the city.”

Now Gino has taken over the Ad-Lib restaurant in Hope Street from Eddie Topalian, and will start managing it later this month. He also owns the Spaghetti House in Sauchiehall Street, which he started with his brother three years ago.

“The Glaswegian is very adventurous and very adaptable to new things,” he went on. “If he goes to a pub, he will tend to get drunk but if he goes to a place where the atmosphere is different, he will fit in very well.

“I think that in about four or five years, Glasgow will become like a small London.”

24 All-day Drinks Licences Granted.

In the NEWS 1978.

24 All-day Drinks Licences Granted…

Glasgow Licensing Court have so far granted more than 20 applications for afternoon extensions in licensing hours, but have stuck rigidly to their earlier decision that afternoon opening should end on September 30.

The board consider that openings should only take place during the tourist season. At the start of today’s licensing board meeting in Govan Town Hall, a representative of Chief Constable Patrick Hamill reminded board members that in March the police objected to the large number of extensions to the licensing hours because they did not meet with the criteria laid down in the new Licensing Act.

The board were told that the chief constable did not intend to make individual objections to the current list of applications. But he told the board that the police still considered many of the applications being considered today did not meet the necessary criteria.

A total of 89 public houses and private clubs have applied for afternoon extensions on at least one day of the week. And 37 applications for Sunday opening have been lodged.

The Ingram Hotel was granted an afternoon extension, but only until the end of September. It was one of two hotels granted extensions today, the other being The Royal Hotel in Sauchiehall Street.

The public houses which gained extensions from 2.30 p.m. until 5.0 p.m. were: The Bell Geordie, Bell Street; the Red Parrot, Buchanan Street; Granny Black’s, Candleriggs; Waves, Custom House Quay Gardens, and the Vale of Leven Bar, Dundas Street.

Three bars in Gallowgate gained extensions, MacKinnon’s Bar, Baird’s Bar, and Betty’s Bar. Other public houses which gained extensions were, The Rooster, Glassford Street; Corn Exchange, Gordon Street; Denholm’s Bar, Hope Street; Gershwin’s, Hope Street; Imperial Bar, Howard Street; New Hampden Bar, London Road; Braemar, London Road; Virginian, Miller Street; Quarter Gill, Oswald Street; Crammond Bar, Queen Street; Ferrari, Sauchiehall Street; Rogano, Exchange Place; and Wee Squirrel, Stevenson Street.

THEATRE

MacArthur’s Restaurant in Custom House Quay Gardens was granted an extension until 2 a.m. Licensing board chairman Baillie Philip O’Rourke said the application by Gershwin’s for an afternoon extension had been granted but the board were divided on the late evening opening. They voted 6-4 in favour of the late extension.

The owners of the Theatre Royal had told the board they would lose business if Gershwin’s, which is across the road, was allowed to open in the afternoon. And they claimed old people and children attending matinees would be disturbed.

A solicitor for the theatre said the situation of the pub did not come under the section of the Act which covers afternoon opening.

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In the NEWS January 1978…

All-DAY DRINKS CHEERS PUBLICANS…

Drinking habits in Glasgow could be revolutionised in the near future… following yesterday’s Licensing Board decision to allow one pub to remain open throughout the day.

For many publicans intend to apply for all-day opening licences, and they will be using, the case of former boxing champion Peter Keenan as a precedent.

Mr Keenan was the only one of 17 applicants to be granted the special licence yesterday. His pub will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with normal drinking hours the rest of the week.

Bailie Philip O’Rourke, chairman of the Board, said today, “I voted against the Keenan application because I believe we have to remain consistent and we had already turned down a number of similar applications.

APPEAL

“The next meeting of the Board is in March and I expect that there will be a number of publicans reapplying.” Today at Glasgow Sheriff Court an appeal was being held against a decision by the Board to refuse The Whistle Bar in West Campbell Street the special licence.

And at the Off The Record bar 100 yards from Peter Keenan’s pub a spokesman said, “If Peter can get the licence, I see no reason why we shouldn’t.

“We cater for the same workers who are on shifts. It is very likely we will be making an application at the next sitting of the Licensing Board.”

SESSIONS

Brewers Tennent Caledonian have yet to make a decision on weather or not to apply for the all-day licence for their scores of managed houses.

“We would first have to negotiate with our bar staff,” said a spokesman, “before making any application.” Meanwhile Licensing Board member Bailie Frank Hannigan wants radical changes in the operation of the board, Mr Hannigan wants the sessions held at night and in shorter terms.

He said: “I don’t like catering too much for lawyers and publicans, we all have other things to do. “It may be OK for lawyers to pick up £300 for a day’s work but it is not what I joined the council for.”

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In the NEWS February 1978…

CITY BID FOR ALL_DAY DRINKS…

Glasgow’s city centre could become a drinkers’ paradise with pubs open throughout the day.

That’s the proposal the city’s Licensing Board are considering today.

An SNP and a Labour member have combined to suggest that instead of closing down between 2.30 and 5 p.m. pubs in the centre should stay open right through until 11 p.m.

The only proviso they are suggesting is that it should apply only in the summer. Nationalist Councillor Stewart Ewing, who is putting forward the proposal said the city needs uniformity in its present drinking hours.

He said before the meeting, “It is confusing to the public that public houses such as Peter Keenan’s in the Broomielaw is open during the day yet others aren’t.

Our proposal would allow for all pubs in the city centre to remain open if they wish.” Mr Ewing is backing in his demand by Labour councillor Bob Innes.

The proposal was discussed at a licensing Board meeting in the City Chambers today. Mr Ewing added, “The new licensing laws allow for a more liberal attitude towards drinking hours and we feel that it is time for Glasgow to take advantage of it.”

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In the NEWS 1978…

Clamp Down On All Day Drinking…

Afternoon opening in hundreds of Scottish pubs may come to an end—- except for specific occasions.

For the Scottish Office is now considering the circumstances under which afternoon opening has been granted in various areas.

Yesterday Glasgow District Licensing Board granted a further 24 all-day drink licences. And 156 applications are before the next sitting in Edinburgh later this month.

Scots Under-Secretary Harry Ewing asked all 19 licensing boards in Scotland to tell him how many afternoon applications have been made— and in what circumstances they were granted.

Today the Scottish Office confirmed— “Mr Ewing is considering the replies.”

I understand that next month, a guidance note will go out to all licensing authorities over the controversial Section 64 (3) clause in the Scotland (Licensing) Act of 1976.

Mr Ewing can hardly tell authorities they are misinterpreting the Act— for he himself put it on the statute book.

But it seems likely that the Scottish Office will take the same view as Strathclyde Chief Constable Patrick Hamill— that the cause did not mean overall afternoon drinking.

Mr Hamill has consistently objected to afternoon licence at Glasgow District Licensing Court, which was continuing today at Govan Town Hall.

The clause allows for the granting of a licence in “social circumstances” and where there is “activity locally.”

Police forces and licensing authorities have fallen out over the wording, and finally the Government will have to step in with advice over what it really means.

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In the NEWS 1978…

Public Houses Private Reasons…

Glasgow’s licensing board has given the go-ahead to all-day drinking in 17 pubs.

And left behind it a record of apparent inconsistencies.

Some pubs which seemed to differ in no respect from those successful in getting extensions found themselves turned down.

The lawyer for one rejected applicant said, “There is no rhyme or reason to it Everything depends on the whim of the bench.”

Even the Chief Constable demonstrated inconsistency. His representative said, “The law is meant to provide for particular social circumstances or activities in the locality. Markets and tourism clearly are within the needs to the area.” But he lodged objections against EVERY pub applying for an afternoon extension.

And two pubs were objected to by the Environmental Health Department because their standards of hygiene were not high enough. Surly they are either high enough to be open at all, or low enough to be closed?

If the idea of the licensing laws is to consider drinking as a public service, surely it would be a service for the board to make public the reasons for their decisions as they are announced. Then they might be seen to be based on common sense rather than individual whims.

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PUB OWNER CAN’T TOT UP RULING…

NO Mrs Liz Wright in the empty Whistle Bar, West Campbell Street.

Baffled! That’s Liz Wright a city centre publican. She painted the pub kitchen, put in new staff toilets, fitted new doors to the customers’ toilets, and painted both toilets.

Yet her pub, the Whistle Lounge Bar in the city centre, was refused an all-day licence.

It was her second application and she thought that the pub in West Campbell Street was certain to get an extension.

She was one of the several city publicans who got the thumbs down by the Glasgow Licensing Board. A bitterly disappointed Mrs Wright said, “I can’t understand why other pubs like Peter Keenan’s Stable Bar and the Saracen Head, which are not in the centre of town, have been given the all-day licences.

“We had a petition of 200 names from our customers. We have 1500 people in offices within a radius of 300 yards. “We already do 400 meals a day and could do as many as people wanted.

YES the Jamaica Inn (above) in the City Centre, and the Square Peg (below), St Enoch Square.

We are a businessman’s pub and a lot of them have varied lunch times.” The Corn Exchange in Gordon Street was another of the pubs mystified by the board’s refusal.

The area manager Mr John Campbell for Drybrough’s, who own it, said, “We recently spent £6000 redecorating the public bar. “I would say that it is one of the cleanest pubs in the city centre and is run by a most conscientious manager. We are right next to the Central Station where people come and go all day.”

STANDARD

Bailie Philip O’Rourke, the chairman of the Licensing Board, said: “Pubs that were not granted a licence did not come up to the criteria that has been laid down.”

YES the Arran Lounge, one of three bars in Central Station.

NO the Corn Exchange, Gordon Street, £600 spent on decorating.

But he refused to expand on that, explaining that if anybody wanted to find out why they had been refused they should write to the clerk of the court. He added: “A publican should make sure that everything is up to standard. Let’s put it like that.”

CONCERNED

Well why should a pub hold an ordinary licence and yet be found to be sub-standard when applying for an all-day licence? Is it judged up to standard until 2.30 p.m. and then sub-standard from then until 5 p.m.?

Mr O’Rourke said, “The point you make is very pertinent. I would say that in general the board are very concerned about the number of sub-standard pubs.”

SURPRISED

Liz Wright, of the Whistle Lounge Bar, said: “I was the first person to apply for an all-day licence. I was turned down. I appealed and failed in the appeal. “Then we did up the pub, but the health inspectors never came back to inspect it. We will apply again.”

And so will the Corn Exchange. Mr Eric Ridehalgh secretary of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said he was “most surprised” that some of the applications were refused on environmental health grounds.

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In the NEWS 1978…

Dirty All-Day Pubs Slammed…

Glasgow’s pubs have become dirtier since the go-ahead was given for all-day opening, says Strathclyde’s Chief Constable Pat Hamill.

Police chief Hamill says in his report to Glasgow Licensing Board, which meets tomorrow to consider granting more 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. licences, that drinkers are heading for “all-afternoon” pubs just before the normal closing time of 2.30 p.m.

He claims, “In many instances this had led to a decline in the standard of cleanliness in that counters and tables are becoming littered with empty glasses and over-full ashtrays.”

And the tourists, who, it was claimed, would use them most, are not, after all, stopping off at the city’s watering holes. In some premises, he reports, owners are not using the facility to its fullest extent to allow staff some time to clean and refresh the premises.

“There is little evidence that the public houses are being frequented by tourists…”

But his view were questioned today by Roy Grier, president of the Strathclyde Licensed Trade Association. “I don’t fully understand, unless he means that pubs should close for a “cleaning up break.” But it’s difficult to have both, to stay open all day and have people sweeping the floors or something like that.

“It’s also difficult to tell if tourists are using the pubs or not. After all, Glasgow isn’t exactly a tourist place.

“It all come back to the need in the locality and the social circumstances, I would have thought afternoon shoppers would have been more appropriate than tourists.

“But each licensing board is entitled to find this out for itself.” Charles Horsburgh, deputy clerk to Glasgow’s licensing board, said today, “The chief constable’s view will come up at tomorrow’s committee meeting, but I can make no comment until they have discussed them.”

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In the NEWS 1978…

POLICE CHIEF BACKING MILLAN ON PUBS…

Cheers! And the man raising his glass of MILK is Bailie Philip O’Rourke, chairman of Glasgow’s Licensing Board. For Bailie O’Rourke, he is a teetotaller, could be the toast of Glasgow today. He sat down at 9 o’clock this morning to hear the first of a total of 174 applications for extensions of permitted hours, the all-day licence.

The last time the board sat they were into the wee sma’ hours for three days considering applications. That pinta might just come in handy for the bailie as another marathon session begins.

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Strathclyde’s Chief Constable Patrick Hamill, today backed Scottish Secretary Bruce Millan’s guidance on all-day drinking.

And the police had “no comment” to make when the first of 174 applications of all-day drinking came before Glasgow Licensing Board.

Mr Hamill, whose representative objected to applications at the last sitting, is following the line that Mr Millan took last week that there is concern about the number of all-day licences, but it is up to the individual boards.

And because Glasgow Licensing Board decided at a policy meeting last week to continue their experiment for a further six months of afternoon drinking it looks like a bonanza for city publicans.

Mr Millan’s guidance was issued last week by the Scottish Home and Health Department as circular 30 1978 to the clerks of Scotland’s 58 licensing boards.

He said that a survey had been made of applications granted for the extension “outwith permitted hours.” Today, a representative for Mr Hamill told the board: “On the general principal of afternoon extensions, I am directed by the chief constable to draw your attention to the circular relating to this issue.”

The Glasgow Board will sit for most of the week. Pubs which received the licences included–

Duke of Torraine, 1336-134 Gallowgate; Inglis Inn, 31-33 Easterhouse Road, Grier Brothers, 24 Bogbain Road; Kelly’s Bar, 100 Albion Street; Sloan’s Restaurant, 62 Argyll Arcade; Bubbles, 259 Argyle Street; Duke of Wellington, 316 Argyle Street; Strathduie Bar, 3a-5 Blackfriar Street; Coach Inn, 16 Blythswood Street; Poisedon Restaurant, 18 Bothwell Street; Walkway, 128 Broomielaw; Angus Bar, 24 Brunswick Street; Blue Chip, Buchanan Street; Red Parrot, 234 Buchanan Street; Granny Black’s, 55 Candleriggs, Oxford Tavern, 45 London Road; Vintners, 312 Clyde Street; Spankies Custom House Quay Gardens, Clyde Street; Waves, Custom House Quay Gardens, Clyde Street; Lamppost, 33 Duke Street.

Three Hotels also got the all-day go-ahead, Centre Hotel, Argyle Street; and George Hotel, Buchanan Street.

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In the NEWS 1978…

Mister Micawber’s, the Glasgow brewery-owned pub slammed at yesterday’s licensing board, today banned the public from its lounge bar.

The Argyle Street bar was one of only a handful of pubs refused an all-day licence by the board because it had fallen foul of the Public Health Act on 13 counts.

Health officials complained about faults in the toilets of both the public and lounge bar such as a door lying off its hinges, a leaking cistern, and broken tiles behind the urinals.

But any changes of the public judging for themselves the state of the lounge bar toilets at the Tennent Caledonian pub were thwarted today when management decided not to open the lounge.

Reason given for the sudden closure was “staff shortage.”

Cleaners

]Meanwhile downstairs in the public bar cleaners were busy as the first customers of the day came in to ensure the place was spick and span.

However the effect was spoiled by gang names paint sprayed on the wall outside the gents’ toilet, tiles missing from behind the urinals, and toilet paper holders and towel holders missing.

Despite the 15 counts against Micawber’s, customers pointed out that the toilets were a lot cleaner than many pubs in the city and a least soap and toilet paper were available. Staff said today they had not yet heard from Tennent Caledonian why the pub had been refused an all-day licence.

Delay

Said Mr Aitken, the firm’s commercial manager, “The people who deal with the press and that kind of thing are on holiday.” The start of today’s licensing board meeting was delayed for nearly two hours because the board did not have sufficient members to form a quorum.

After a series of telephone calls to councillors, some of whom were on holiday, a sufficient member was found.

Board chairman Councillor Philip O’;Rourke said, “We deeply regret this delay but it is understandable because of the pressure the board is under. The board are hearing the latest batch of applications for afternoon extensions in city pubs and hotels.

One of today’s applications, from the Sherry Bar at 194 Springburn Road caused “considerable disappointment.”

Councillor O’Rourke said he was concerned and disappointed that the pub had not reached and maintained a proper standard of hygiene.

PUBS with ALL_DAY Opening…

These licences take effect from Friday.

Rogano Restaurant, 11 Exchange Place; McKinnon’s Bar, 48 Gallowgate; Saracen Head, 209 Gallowgate; Baird’s Bar, 224 Gallowgate; Yeland Inn, 251 Gallowgate; Corona Bar, 257 Gallowgate; Cabin Bar, 258 Gallowgate.

Betty’s Bar, 267 Gallowgate; Steps Bar, 62 Glassford Street; Change House, 76 Glassford Street; Caledonian Restaurant, Central Station; Corn Exchange, 88 Gordon Street.

Denholm’s Bar, 17 Hope Street; Blythswood Bar, 91 Hope Street; Reid’s Bar, 201 Hope Street; Gershwin’s, McConnel Building, 325 Hope Street; Upstairs Downstairs, 2 Howard Street.

Imperial Bar, 6 Howard Street; Lorne Bar, 40 Howard Street; Oriental Bar, 11 Hutcheson Street; Ingram Hotel, 201 Ingram Street; Barrowland Bar, 6 Kent Street, PHT Bar, 18 London Road.

New Hampden Bar, 95 London Road; Matador, 260 London Road; Cairn’s Bar, 5-15 Miller Street; Quarter Gill, 42 Oswald Street; Refreshment Rooms, Central Station.

Bank Restaurant, 35 Queen Street; Lang’s Bar, 73 Queen Street; Ingram Bar, 163 Queen Street; Crammond Bar, 155 Queen Street; Whitehall, 59 Renfield Street; J D Wilson, 8 Renfrew Street; Square Peg, 46-48 St Enoch Square.

Robert Graham, 37 Saltmarket; The Savoy, Savoy Centre, Sauchiehall Street; Dino’s, 39 Sauchiehall Street; Lauder’s, 76 Sauchiehall Street; Mrs Sarah McMonagle, 34 Stevenson Street; The Waterloo, 21-23 Waterloo Street; Iron Horse, 115 West Nile Street.

Burns Howff, 56 West Regent Street; Chess Board, 176 West Regent Street; Market Hotel, Graham Street off Gallowgate; Nationalist Bar, 415 London Road; Regent Bar, 577 London Road; Windsor Bar, 607 London Road; Shawfield Bar, 291 Main Street; Tony’s Bar, 148 Old Dalmarnock Road.

Bellevue Bar, 279 Stevenson Street; The Cairn, 135 Balornock Road; Highland Fling, 39 Castairs Road; Fruit Market Catering premises, Blochairn Road; Blochairn Bar, 269 Blochairn Road; The Gimlet, 97 Ruchill Street; The Hurdy Gurdy, 80 Lister Street.

The Possil Bar, 324 Possil Road; The Amphora, 410 Sauchiehall Street; Oceans 11, 468 Sauchiehall Street.

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In the News 1978…

Drinks Act ‘Chaos’: New Rush For Longer Hours…

Scotland’s Licensing Laws are in chaos, it was claimed today, as Glasgow faces its biggest list of applications for extended hours. And the Scottish Licensed Trade Association has called on the Government to issue guidance on the Licensing Act.

A total of 173 pubs, clubs, and hotels in Glasgow will apply at the Licensing Board in Govan Town Hall next month for regular extensions of permitted hours.

Many pubs want to stay open on more afternoons. Some want to extend their closing hour till midnight. Others want earlier opening in the mornings.

WARNING

And eight hotels want to keep their doors open ALL DAY on Sundays.

SLTA secretary Eric Ridehalgh said today: “The Act was never designed for this. In fact we don’t have a Licensing (Scotland) Act of 1976.

“What we have got is a district by district act, and that we never wanted.” And the Scottish Police Federation warned today that Sunday afternoon opening in hotels could mean less time off for policemen.

GUIDANCE

The Licensing Board meets on October 13, but chairman Councillor Phil O’Rourke revealed today that there will be a special meeting before that. He said, “We will have to decide our policy for the extension of licensing hours to the entire city.

“The previous applications granted have in the main been for the city centre.

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In the NEWS 1978…

Sunday pubs warned.

Bailie Philip O’Rourke. 1978.

Let Drinkers know opening hours.

Pub managers who close early on Sundays were strongly criticised today at a meeting of Glasgow District Licensing Court.

Board chairman Bailie Philip O’Rourke said that if a pub manager intended calling for his customers to drink up before the statutory time then he should post an intimation in the pub window.

Bailie O’Rourke said, “Some licence holders who have been granted permission to open on Sundays have not been doing so. “Some have been closing early and this is causing problems with customers who are annoyed that the premises are going to be closed before the statutory time.

“The board appreciates that it is up to the licence holder when his premises open and close for business, but we strongly recommend that where a pub manager doesn’t intend to open for the whole Sunday he should provide a notice indicating when his premises will be open.”

Earlier at the sitting in Govan Town Hall 350 licences for pubs and off-sales were renewed. Ten others were refused and there will be appeals by the owners.

And city publicans planning to open their pubs after midnight on Saturdays may be in for a shock. Mr Charles Horsburgh, depute clerk of Glasgow District Council, said today the board had no power to grant extra time on a Saturday beyond midnight.

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In the NEWS 1979…

It’s All Go For All-Day Drinking…

Glasgow’s Licensing Board today decided as a matter of policy to grant applications for all-day licences in city pubs, provided the publicans come up to standard.

The policy decision was taken ay a meeting of the board today in an attempt to cut by half the number of days it will take them to deal with the massive 1000 applications received for next week’s sitting.

Board chairman Councillor Phil )’Rourke said; Our attitude was coloured by our belief that all-day licensing in the city so far has been a complete success.”

Originally it was thought it might take up to eight days to wade through all the applications. But now the board is confident of completing the sitting in only four days, working no more than eight hours hours a day. The sitting begins next Friday at Govan Town Hall and will continue on the Monday and Tuesday.

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In the NEWS 1979…

Fight Looms Over New Drinking Hours…

Scots publicans are set for an East-West confrontation over the country’s new look drinking laws.

The battle of words will break out when the Scottish Licensed Trade Association get together in Renfrew next week for their annual conference.

And if the East wins the day drinkers used to “all-day” pubs, open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. will have to go back to their old habits when the pubs closed between 2.30 and 5 p.m.

Publican Ossie Prosser, who owns hostelries in Glasgow and Dumbartonshire, is to put forward a resolution calling on the Government to fully implement the Clayson Committee recommendations across Scotland, with any afternoon break “being left to the discretion of the Licence Holder.”

But Dundee publican Jimmy Ross, who will lead the fight against that suggestion, claimed that success for Mr Prosser and his backers would lead to a “boozer’s charter.”

Mr Ross, a former president of SLTA, said, “I don’t approve of this resolution at all.” “Around Edinburgh and Glasgow, in the urban belt in the middle, pubs are more heavily committed to afternoon opening than anywhere else.

“I think there is less need for it there, particularly in Glasgow, where there is less tourism.

“After all, this is not a shopper’s charter. It was intended for the tourists. But instead it is becoming a boozer’s charter.” But in the West, members of the Strathclyde branch of the SLTA are confident that their move to stay open all day will win.

“This is bound to cause great controversy.” said one of Strathclyde’s 2500 members, who make up almost half of the association’s total membership.

“But we are sure we’ll win enough support to have the resolution passed.” Phil O’Rourke, chairman of the Glasgow Licensing Board, attacked Mr Ross’s bid to return to afternoon closing.

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In the NEWS 1979…

Publicans Ask For Their View…

More than 5000 Scottish Publicans are to get the chance to give their views on the country’s new, liberalised drinking hours. The pub people, members of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, are being asked to put their opinions in writing via a survey form sent out with the latest of their official trade magazine the Guardian.

The association’s licensing law committee, who dreamed up the survey, hope for “a flood of replies” to their questionnaire from licence-holders in cities and on remote islands.

The committee want to know………….. If licensees are satisfied with the new Licensing (Scotland) Act of 1976, which has seen later opening and “all-day” drinks hours, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. And they encourage their members to give reasons if they are not happy with the Act.

If they are in favour of the 12 hour opening without a break. If they favour 11-11 hours in summer months only. If there should be regular extensions after 11 p.m. without the service of food.

Association secretary Eric Ridehalgh said today: “The Act effects everyone in the business so we would expect a good response to the survey. “Before it all started, we had a consensus of opinion and now it’s just a matter of seeing how things are working.”

He said the association worked closely with the Scottish Office on the situation and any “Strong feelings” that might come to light through the survey would be conveyed to St. Andrew’s House.

Mr Ridehalgh added: “We want to know the grass roots feelings of all our members, there’s nothing else behind this.”

A Scottish Office spokesman admitted they had been “monitoring the position.” Their official views would be published in the near future. “But we have no comment to make until these are published,” he added.

Scots Under-Secretary of State Harry Ewing has already, however, voiced favourable views on the new licensing laws and early fears that the more liberal drinking would lead to an upsurge in alcoholism and offences such as drunk driving have been proved groundless.

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In the NEWS 1979…

Second Round of Pub Hours…

Glasgow could become completely Continental in its drinking habits if the Licensing Court on Friday approves most of the applications for extended hours.

At the court 149 applications will be heard from publicans and hoteliers, most of them seeking permission to open between 2.30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Two of Glasgow’s best known hotels the Central and the North British have applied for a fare licence which will take them through from 11 p.m. till 2 a.m.

That other plush city hotel the Albany, is seeking to open between 2.30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday 2.30 p.m. till 6.30 p.m. on Sunday.

Three former Scottish footballers are concerned in applications before the court.

Jim Baxter’s wife Jean, is applying for an extension from 2.30 p.m. till 5 p.m. in their pub at Paisley Road Toll, while George McLean, another former Rangers star, and Tony Taylor, the former Celtic and Morton player, are applying for the permanent transfer of a licence for public houses in Maryhill Road, and Carrick Drive.

Mrs Jennifer Topalian, wife of Eddie Topalian, who formerly owned the Ad Lib in Hope Street, has put in for a licence for a restaurant at 61a Elmbank Street.

Application for extended afternoon hours comes from four public houses in Byres Road, the Wheel, the Kebab House, the Aragon, and the Chancellor.

Already there are two pubs operating all-day licences in Byres Road. A close observer of the Licensing Courts moves will be Scottish Secretary Bruce Millan, who has made it very clear that he is most unhappy at the “liberal approach” by all of the Scottish Licensing Courts.