IS it too much to hope from your report of an emergency hearing by Glasgow City Council's licensing board ("Licensing board uses power to shut down notorious pub", The Herald, July 19) that licensing boards, supported by the police, are at last going to address the lack of co-operation from manager and licence holders of pubs and clubs which I would argue makes some of our streets no-go areas and is hardly likely to impress our visitors from the Commonwealth?
At weekends I have watched licensed premises decant drunken people on to the pavements of our towns and cities exposing them to risk and being complicit in the commission of sexual and other crimes. Apparently a hard core of managers and licensees have washed their hands of the fact that under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 they have extensive powers and obligations related to drunkenness in licensed premises.
The statistics are telling. Over a four-year period from 2009 to 2012, four people were prosecuted for related offences and over this period five people received fiscal fines where the main offence was the sale of alcohol to a drunken person.
Would it not be better instead of continuing to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted to tackle the problem at the door of the licensed premises as people enter and are served alcohol rather than wait until the police and other emergency services have to pick the inebriated and injured off our street?
What stops licensees and licensing authorities using the powers they already have to limit drunkenness and the sale of alcohol to obviously drunk patrons?
Surely it is not the financial imperative?
Iain A J McKie,
27 Donnini Court,
South Beach Road,
Ayr.
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