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Clubs and pubs given go-ahead to scrap curfew now - despite licences breach





Maxine Smith has been hailed a hero by anti-curfew campaigners
Maxine Smith has been hailed a hero by anti-curfew campaigners

PUBS and clubs in Inverness will not be pursued by police or licencing officers if they lift the controversial midnight curfew immediately - even though they will technically be breaking their licence conditions.

On Tuesday, Highland Licensing Board took the decision to scrap the Cinderella restrictions following a two-month consultation period.

And as the Highland News went to press yesterday, Councillor Maxine Smith - who chaired the meeting and who used her casting vote to scrap the rule - urged revellers to be patient until the curfew was officially lifted at the next board meeting on December 18.

However, today the SNP councillor, who has been hailed a hero by anti-curfew campaigners, said if licensees choose to scrap the curfew now, they will not get into trouble.

She told the HN: "The official date for removal of the condition is December 18, but many pubs and clubs have decided they are going to remove the curfew at the weekend.

"It’s not 100 per cent legal, but nobody, neither the police nor licencing officers, will be pursuing those that don't adhere to the curfew.

"I believe all of the pubs and clubs will be lifting the ban at the weekend. It’s a pretty exciting time for those revellers who plan to go out at the weekend."

The curfew has been in force for around 10 years. Late-night venues have not allowed entry after midnight include Johnny Foxes, The Den, Hootananny, Play, Hush, Miami and the Ironworks when it hosts specific events. Several other pubs and bars are licensed until 1am and can admit customers up to then.

But some pub landlords complained about an exodus of customers between 11pm and midnight as they attempt to gain entry to late-night venues and customer campaigners claimed it was an unwarranted restriction on them.

Some nightspot bosses had initially indicated they would voluntarily maintain a curfew even if the official one was scrapped.


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