I’ve been scratching my head a fair bit this week, pondering the decision made by Edinburgh’s licensing board. It seems some folk believe a slap on the wrist is enough when a pub is caught practically running an open house for bairns and turning a blind eye to serious violence. I’m talking about The Terrace on Saughton Road, a Greene King establishment, which, by all accounts, has been a bit of a wild west.
Police Sergeant Grant Robertson painted a grim picture of what was going on. He spoke of seeing thirty young people in the bar, some as young as sixteen, with staff allegedly pouring them drinks. This wasn’t just a wee slip-up, it sounds like a pattern of behaviour that’s deeply concerning for any licensed premises.
The Challenge 25 policy, a common sense approach to make sure folk are old enough to drink, was apparently nowhere to be seen. It makes me wonder what kind of training, if any, the staff were getting, and what message this sends about responsible service.
Then there’s the violence, which is truly shocking. Police Sergeant Grant Robertson described an incident on October 18 last year where a man entered the premises with brass knuckle dusters on because he “became aware his partner’s 16-year-old daughter was drinking” inside. A door steward was assaulted, suffering a deep laceration on his face. This isn’t just a pub, it sounds like a hazard zone for patrons and staff alike.
What really gets my goat, though, is the alleged behaviour of the staff when the police were called. Police Sergeant Grant Robertson added that it was “really quite alarming” to watch staff “proactively” usher young people out of the premises before police arrived. He put it plainly, saying:
“There’s no debating that it was a very proactive ‘you need to leave’”.
That’s not a mistake, that’s an attempt to dodge the law, plain and simple. It speaks volumes about the culture operating within that establishment.
And the delay in getting CCTV footage, with the duty manager “allegedly couldn’t operate the system”? It all adds up to a picture that’s far from innocent. It feels like a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice, or at least to hide the extent of the problem, rather than a genuine technical glitch.
The pub’s operator, Andrena Smith-Bowes, and a Greene King representative, argued their case. Operator Andrena Smith-Bowes said the previous duty manager had been working at the pub for nearly 14 years, and had been dedicated to the pub. She added that licensing standards attendance at the property had “taken their toll” on her, and that the situations the police raised had caused her to “lose all her confidence”.
Apparently, this manager has now surrendered her personal licence and is just bar staff, replaced by a new manager. Now, I’m all for giving folk a second chance, and I understand the pressures of the hospitality trade, but this ‘new manager’ excuse feels a bit too convenient, doesn’t it?
It’s a classic move, isn’t it, to shift the blame onto one person and hope everyone forgets the systemic issues. A pub isn’t just one manager, it’s a whole operation, and Greene King, as the owner, has a responsibility here too. The buck has to stop somewhere higher up the chain.
The board decided on a warning and some minor changes, like closing the terrace earlier. Is that truly enough to ensure public safety and prevent such blatant disregard for licensing laws? I have my doubts. It sends a message, perhaps, that you can push the boundaries quite far before any real consequences bite.
Our licensing laws are there for a reason, to protect our communities and ensure responsible drinking. When they’re flouted so openly, and the response is so mild, it makes you wonder about the integrity of the system and the strongness of our alcohol licensing policies.
I sometimes think about the discussions around alcohol policy, like those for minimum unit pricing or the challenges facing our incredible whisky regions, and it seems a bit daft to have such strict rules in one area, only for basic pub compliance to be treated so lightly in another.
Think of the parents in the area, or the residents dealing with noise complaints. This isn’t just about a pub; it’s about a community’s peace and safety. It makes me wonder about the wider reputation of our hospitality sector, a sector celebrated for its warmth and, dare I say, its fantastic Scottish food and drink.
This isn’t just about one pub, it’s about upholding the standards we expect from every licensed premises, from the smallest local to the biggest chain, ensuring they contribute positively to our vibrant Scottish food renaissance and uphold the principles of responsible service, as outlined in the Scottish licensing guidance.
I fear that by letting The Terrace off with what feels like a mere telling-off, the message sent isn’t one of firm regulation, but rather one of leniency that could encourage others to push their luck. We need to do better for our communities, and for the reputation of Scotland’s hospitality.
