Highlands Cinderella ban to come to an official end
Highland pub and club landlords have been invited to outline their revised door entry policies following the high profile demise of the "Cinderella" curfew.
The midnight rule, which barred customers from entering venues after that time will formally be consigned to history later this week in Aviemore and elsewhere in the region.
It was axed by the Highland Licensing Board last month on the casting vote of chairwoman Maxine Smith.
It followed a major consultation in the region and a successful campaign by an Inverness-based pressure group which secured the end of the curfew, despite strong police opposition to the move as senior officers voiced concerns about public safety.
Licensees in Inverness removed the restriction, which had been in place for almost a decade, following the board’s decision after venue owners were told no action would be taken against them even though the curfew still technically applies.
Thirteen licensees from the city, Thurso, Aviemore and Dingwall have been asked to attend the board’s review hearing in Inverness tomorrow (Tuesday) when the decision will be rubber stamped.
A report to councillors states the curfew is no longer considered necessary for the purposes of any of its licensing objectives and venue owners will be given the chance to discuss their specific door entry policies.
Meanwhile, the possibly of a reinstated curfew during the festive period appears to have abated.
Councillor Smith had warned last month that a temporary return of the curfew could be on the cards because some pubs are allowed to remain open until 2am during specific nights at Christmas and New Year through a special licence extension.
That could see night clubs, which shut at 3am, lose out on customers because the pubs are open for longer and the licensing chairwoman said reinstating a curfew could have been one method employed to ensure patrons come in through their doors because of the anomaly.
However, no applications have been made to the board for the forthcoming holiday period.
*The venues invited to the hearing in Inverness are Johnny Foxes and The Den, Vinyl and Play, Hush, Miami, Karma Lounge (formerly Nova), Cake, Hootananny and The Ironworks.
Aviemore’s Winking Owl and Vault and Skinandi’s Nightclub and The Newmarket Bar in Thurso have also been asked to attend, along with The Picture House in Dingwall.