Amid dire warnings over the future of Dundee’s night-time economy, the city’s licensing board members have been slammed for failing to attend a meeting with pub and club owners.
Prominent businessman Jimmy Marr, who owns several pubs and Deja Vu nightclub in the city, says members of Dundee’s Licensed Trade Association were “astounded” there was no representation from the board councillors, police or even licensing standards officers at the session.
Mr Marr said: “The only person there from the council was legal officer Brian Woodcock. But he was only there to take down our points, not answer any questions.
“Why didn’t the members of the licensing board come and have a meeting with us? They put out a letter to the licensed trade and we held a consultation meeting but none of them bothered to turn up.”
In the letter to the association, Mr Woodcock outlined the board’s proposal for a new three-tier system of late-night licensing in Dundee, which would see dedicated nightclubs being able to open until 4am.
Fat Sam’s has previously applied for a 4am licence specifically to compete with the G Casino’s 6am licence.
However, a decision on that application has been deferred twice by the board pending the consultation, which the club says has since led to redundancies at what is Scotland’s biggest nightspot.
Mr Marr says the real problem lies with too many pubs being granted a 2.30am licence alongside the casino’s licence and free-entry door policy.
He said: “They’re now suggesting ordinary pubs to open till midnight, pubs with entertainment can open till 2.30am and dedicated nightclubs can open till 4am.
“The licensed trade don’t want that. It was pretty unanimous among the 25-30 members in the meeting that we would all prefer it if pubs were open until midnight and nightclubs until 2.30am.
“That’s the way it was before and it worked well. The problem is the casino having a 6am licence and no minimum entry charge.
“By not turning up to our meeting, we just feel that the board will just make their decision in August, no matter what the consultation says.”
Councillor David Bowes, who sits on the council’s licensing committee, said members of the board were unable to take part in the consultation process as it would prevent them making a decision once it came before the board meeting in August.
“The consultation is for the trade and we don’t get involved in that as we are the ones who have to make a decision on the outcome of the process,” he said.
“Once the consultation is complete we get the report back and make a decision based on all aspects of the process.”