Rural Pubs Under Threat

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Rural Pubs Under Threat

Small bars and rural pubs in Perthshire are under threat from closure due to a proposed new licensing scheme which could quadruple their fees, warns MSP Murdo Fraser.

The SNP Government is planning to increase the cost of a licence application, with pubs and bars facing a maximum fee of £2,000 for their licence application. The increase in the licence will coincide with a new network of Licensing Standards Officers, who will police the licences and monitor pubs and their impact on the local community.

Murdo believes that the proposed increases in the licences will lead to an unfair burden on smaller and rural pubs and could lead to closures. The changes to the licensing system are being examined by the Justice Committee in the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Conservatives have tabled an amendment to block the increases in the fee.

Commenting, Murdo said: “Rural pubs and small bars across our local communities in Perthshire are under threat of closure due to proposed changes to the licence system. The SNP Government is proposing a massive increase in the cost of a licence application for a pub or bar.

“I do not want to see an increase in the licence application for pubs or bars as I believe it could lead to the closure of local and rural pubs and this will damage our rural communities. The SNP Government must understand that pubs in Perthshire’s rural communities play an important role in the community and are part of their fabric.

“There has been a radical changes to our pubs over the last few years. The smoking ban has recently been brought in and many landlords have had to adapt to the changes by investing in outside smoking areas. Now new costs are being forced on to the local pub landlord by the SNP Government with a proposed increase in the cost of a licence for a bar or a pub.

“It seems that every month our rural communities are being hit again and again. Whether it is rural post office closures or more red tape for farmers, it seems that neither Labour at Westminster or the SNP at Holyrood understand the needs of our rural communities.”