The 1 am pilot scheme in Glasgow City Centre has provided a much-needed boost to the City's late-night economy over the past year, and on Friday, the 9th of May, the City of Glasgow Licensing Board agreed to make it a permanent part of their policy. This news comes after the nightclub extension to 4 am in the City Centre was made permanent after a pilot scheme back in 2023.
Overview of the Pilot Scheme
Last May, the City of Glasgow Licensing Board began the trial of a 12-month pilot programme allowing pubs and bars within the Glasgow City Centre boundary to trade until 1 am instead of 12 midnight, provided they applied by way of major variation to their Premises Licence.
In order to benefit from the extra hour, the licence holder had to be able to show that the premises made a positive contribution to the economy and show an investment in safety and security measures for both their staff and customers, designed in a way to promote the Licensing Objectives[i].
What Criteria Were Considered?
While each application was considered on its own merits, the following were taken into account:
- Premises with less than 75% of the floor given to the provision of full restaurant facilities.
- Premises with a terminal hour of 12 midnight.
- Membership and accreditation of industry-recognised award schemes such as Best Bar None.
- History of established complaints regarding the operation of the premises.
- Evidence of a commitment to ongoing staff training and social responsibility, including transportation arrangements for staff returning home.
- Arrangements for the dispersal of customers from the premises.
- Extent of CCTV in the premises.
- Availability of written policies and procedures for customer safety and the approach taken to customers who have become unwell on the premises or who are vulnerable.
- Terms of any reports provided by Licensing Standards Officers and separately Police Scotland, and any objections and representations in relation
to the application.[ii]
Next Steps for Venue Owners
Now that the City of Glasgow Licensing Board have agreed to continue the scheme, what comes next?
- If you have been participating in this pilot scheme, the good news is that there is nothing further to do. There is no need to apply for a further major variation application as was originally anticipated. The City of Glasgow Licensing Board will provide an updated page to be inserted into your Premises Licence, amending the condition section.
- If you have not applied before and are interested in applying now, our dedicated licensing specialists are here to help. First, we suggest that you check that you are located within the City Centre boundary using the interactive map found here: Alcohol Overprovision Maps and Health Data Maps. Once on the map, select the bottom layer, which refers to City Centre, and a black line will appear showing the boundary. The next step is to make a major variation application, which will be called at a hearing for determination.
- If you are already permitted to trade until 1 am but have a condition which restricts this to certain circumstances, i.e. for customers who have had a meal or for functions, you may wish to apply to have that condition removed and open up those hours to all customers.
We understand that every business faces unique challenges, and our dedicated licensing specialists are here to support you. Contact us today at 0141 333 0636 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to explore your options and navigate the application process.
[i] Glasgow Licensing Board (2023), City of Glasgow Licensing Policy Statement Contents
[ii] Glasgow Licensing Board (2023), City of Glasgow Licensing Policy Statement Contents
