If the weather forecasters are right and the predicted heatwave does happen this week, many Scots will grab the rare chance for a bit of al fresco wining and dining.
Thirty years ago, drinking a coffee or a beer in a roadside cafe was something you did on holiday, but with more of us travelling abroad more often, we now like the idea of a bit of cafe culture at home too. Weather permitting of course.
But does Glasgow City Council like the idea too? There was a time, around eight years ago, when the council seemed to be pulling out all the stops to encourage al fresco dining. The city was looking increasingly outwards and a cafe culture was seen as a way to attract more visitors. There were also many who thought encouraging a more relaxed, European style of drinking might help tackle some of the less attractive aspects of Scotland's love of a drink.
And to a great extent the policy worked. After 2007, all that was required of cafes or restaurants that wanted to put tables outside was approval from the roads department that public thoroughfares would be not blocked and permission to serve alcohol from the licensing board. Many businesses took advantage of the policy and, subject to the limits of the Scottish climate, a genuine change took place in Glasgow, particularly in areas such as Merchant City. It was no longer rare to see Glaswegians dining outside; on sunny days, it was common.
There have admittedly been a few blips in the policy along the way - the Indian restaurant The Dhabba had to go to court in 2012 to win the right to serve alcohol to its al fresco diners - but on the whole a relatively soft touch on bureaucracy has helped the cafe culture in Glasgow to boom. There are now hundreds of places that offer outdoor dining, from huge restaurants in the centre of the city to little two-table coffee shops in the suburbs.
For the city, its citizens and its businesses, it has been a win-win, which is why it is disturbing that a change in policy may be at work. In recent days, venues renewing their roads consents or applying for the first time are being told they now need full planning permission. At the very least, the cost of such an application will be around £400 but a cafe or restaurant is also likely to have to pay for lawyers and architects on top of that. The final cost could be four figures.
There will be some in the trade who will the motivation for this change as nothing more than financial, but whatever it is Glasgow City Council should look again at its approach. Eight years ago, the council cut through the red tape and helped to create a new cafe culture in the city; it would be a great pity if it now wrapped its cafes and bars in red tape all over again. Al fresco wining and dining requires regulation, but wherever possible it should be light touch. That way, the entire city wins.
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