Drinkers boo as last orders called in Scotland amid confusion over new laws
Drinkers in Scotland booed as the bell was rung for last orders ahead of a 16 day shutdown of all pubs in large swathes of the country.
Friday night drinking sessions were brought to an abrupt end in Edinburgh, Glasgow and the rest of the ‘central belt’ at 6pm due to spiralling numbers of coronavirus cases.
The rules have come into force despite some cafe owners still not knowing whether they will be able to open on Saturday.
In a day of confusion over Scotland’s new laws, the definition of what constitutes a cafe sparked a fierce debate with some owners taking legal advice.
All pubs, bars and licensed restaurants in the five central health board areas have been ordered to shut their doors and only offer takeaways for the next 16 days.
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But First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Thursday licensed cafes can be exempt from the shutdown, if they don’t sell alcohol.
This would bring them in line with the rest of the country – where all venues are allowed to operate indoors between 6am and 6pm but can’t sell booze.
But many owners are still unsure about what the Government thinks are the differences between a cafe and a restaurant.
The Scottish Licensed Trade Association posted on Twitter: ‘Absolutely ridiculous that on the day new regulations come into force we still do not know what licensed premises in the central belt will be allowed to open till 6pm for food only – shambles. “What is a ‘licensed cafe?” Find out maybe today!’
Ms Sturgeon herself said earlier there is a ‘lack of clarity’. Speaking in parliament, the First Minister said the cafe exemption aims to address a ‘potential anomaly’ where outlets which have an alcohol licence but where selling drink is ‘very, very incidental to their business’ would have been forced to close.
She said it is important cafes can stay open to counter the isolation felt by people who cannot currently meet others in their homes.
She added that if restaurants were able to stop selling alcohol and redefine themselves as cafes to remain open, this would ‘undermine’ the aims of the new restrictions.
Addressing the change, she said: ‘I readily accept that that has resulted in a lack of clarity. Sometimes that’s the price we have to pay right now for trying to be as flexible as possible.
‘It would have been much easier and would have given much greater clarity just to stick to the position that cafes with a licence had to close, but we decided to try to strike a different balance.’
She said a definition of what constitutes a cafe has been published in the Scottish Government regulations, and any venue that is unsure if they qualify as a cafe should shut.
She added: ‘If a premise is in doubt, they should close, unless an environmental health officer tells them that they think they fall within the definition.’
There have been six further deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland in the last 24 hour period and 1,246 new cases – a record daily high.
Pub owners have reacted with anger at being forced to close for a second time this year. Elaine Derrick from Glasgow’s Viceroy Bar told LBC news: ‘I feel gutted because I do think she’s (Nicola Sturgeon) is very wrong.
‘An awful lot of the drinking is done through house parties. Perhaps she should have thought about closing down the drinks aisles in supermarkets. Even at the 10 o’clock thing, a lot of people were leaving at quarter to ten to get to the supermarket to buy drink.’
Ms Sturgeon said she is ‘desperately sorry’ for having to bring in the restrictions, which last until October 25.
She added: ‘We do believe this can have, and will have, a significant impact on transmission.
‘I know these are unwelcome and believe me when I say they have been imposed with the greatest reluctance, but I would urge all of you to stick with them.
‘The only alternative to restrictions like this just now is a continuing surge in Covid which would take more lives and probably in turn require even tighter restrictions in the weeks and months to come.’
Further measures impacting the five areas of central Scotland will be imposed from Saturday, including contact sports for adults aged 18 and above being suspended for the next two weeks – although professional sports are exempt.
Indoor group exercise activities will no longer be allowed, however gyms can remain open for individual exercise.
Snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling, casinos and bingo halls will also close and no outdoor live events are allowed in these five areas.
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