Edinburgh’s Licensing Board has voted five to three in favour of removing its long-standing over-provision policy, which restricted the granting of new or expanded alcohol licences in parts of the city already considered to have a high number of premises.
The policy covered areas including the Old Town, Princes Street, Leith Street, Tollcross, Deans Village, Southside, Canongate and Dumbiedykes, and it created a presumption against approving new licences or increases in capacity, although each application was still judged on its own merits.
Supporters of the decision, including Councillors Catherine Fullerton and Jason Rust, argued that the policy was no longer effective and that existing licensing rules were sufficient to manage applications. Some also believe that the move could encourage new investment, particularly in parts of the city where shops are closing.
Councillor Louise Young, who chairs the board, and Councillor Chas Booth were among those who wanted to retain it, warning that its removal could make it harder to tackle alcohol-related harm. NHS Lothian and Police Scotland also opposed the change on public health and safety grounds.
In future, licence applications will be decided solely on how well they meet the city’s five licensing objectives: protecting and improving public health, preventing crime and disorder, securing public safety, protecting children from harm, and preventing public nuisance.