TLT launches new online guide to Scottish licensing board consultations for licence holders

Law firm TLT has launched a new online guide to Scottish licensing board policy consultations, which are going live across the country.

Under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, every licensing board is required to update its local licensing policy every five years.  Local licensing policies detail a number of matters of some importance to the licensed trade and other stakeholders, and the new policies may change rules around overprovision zones, licensed hours, as well as potentially bringing in new local conditions such as in relation to home deliveries of alcohol.

TLT’s guide is a valuable tool for the licensing community, providing regular updates on licensing policies and key information allowing licence holders to engage with the licensing board consultations.

As part of the process, it’s expected licensing boards will be consulting on a wide range of current issues such as home delivery of alcohol and outdoor events and will put forward new rules in regards to areas such as overprovision and licensed hours. Licence holders will be able to respond to the consultations as the go live.

Stephen McGowan, partner and head of licensing (Scotland) at TLT LLP said: “This new online guide is a free resource for the wider licensing community to see the details of all the licensing policies and consultations as they go live across the country in one easy-to-read, accessible place. We will be providing links to all the consultations, confirming deadlines and how to respond, as well as offering analysis of the key issues on a local, board-by-board basis”.

Five licensing boards have announced preliminary consultations, in some cases including workshops: Aberdeen City, East Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Inverclyde. The new online guide will be updated on an ongoing basis to capture every licensing board across the country.

The new guide can be found here: https://www.tlt.com/insights-and-events/publications/guide-to-scottish-licensing-board-consultations-2022/