Drinkers to get an hour extra.
In the NEWS 1976....
The Committee studying Scotland's Licensing Laws today agreed that Scots pubs should remain open until 11 o'clock at night.
This will give Scots an extra hour's drinking time. They also fixed Sunday pub hours at 12.30 to 2.10 p.m. and from 6.30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
But they threw out a plan which would have allowed pubs to stay open 12 hours a day non-stop including Sundays. The bid to fix the new drinking hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. scrapping the present afternoon break, was led by Shadow Scottish Secretary Alick Buchanan Smith.
ARTIFICIAL
He said the afternoon break was introduced during the First World War in conditions which no longer applied today. He described it as a "rigid, artificial break" and claimed that public opinion towards it had changed.
The fiercest attack on the plan came from Cathcart MP Mr. Teddy Taylor. He told MPs it was a move towards "total permissiveness." "We are going far too far and letting things rip," he said. Mr. Taylor said it would lead to heavy absenteeism from work, especially on Monday mornings, would mean dirtier, messier pubs, and could even lead to dearer drink.
MIXED REACTION
In Glasgow reaction among drinkers and publicans to the new Sunday hour was mixed. Mr James Montgomery who owns the Rubaiyat in Byres Road, said "This is more or less the same as it is in England, I think the public would quite enjoy these hours."
One of his customers Mr Robert Mireylee said " Personally I would rather see it slightly later in the afternoon carried through. On Sunday it may be that you are down the coast and you would like a drink about 4 o'clock.
"I would say that the evening hours are good." But a barmaid in another West End pub who asked not to be named, said "These are bloody awful." I don't like working the present hours. These are unsocial hours. It's all right for the customers but we don't have any life to ourselves."
End.
