Pubs and bars in the Highlands and across the north-east were able to play music again for the first time this weekend after its initial ban back in August.
Announced on Wednesday by the Scottish Government, their decision to lift the ban and its “kiss of death” effects on hospitality have been praised by industry bosses across the region.
Some described it as “the closest we have been to normal” since the start of the pandemic.
Launched back in September, the Don’t Stop The Music campaign petitioned to have the ban lifted as industry bosses suffered a further loss in trade that they attributed to a lack of atmosphere.
Don Lawson, owner of Inverness based Johnny Foxes said: “This just lifts the whole atmosphere, it is a massive step forward.
“We are very fortunate to be in tier one at the minute and were rather busy over the weekend, all of our tables were booked up and we had to turn some people away – I know other pubs have been the same.”
He added: “Its almost normal up here in the Highlands, the only thing different is the 10.30pm close, my nightclub next door has a 3am license and was open seven days a week with live music on.
“But this is as close to normality as we can get, I think the next step that we could hope for is moving down a tier and the extension of opening times – just a shame that people won’t get to celebrate New Year as they usually would.
“To the hospitality industry that is a big blow, not having the bells rung and pipers playing.”
Thought to have been the only ban on music of its kind across the world, Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) spearheaded efforts to see the ban overturned, citing there was no evidence to support the theory that low-level music increased the transmission of Covid-19.
Chairman of NTIA Scotland, Mike Grieve, said: “We are very happy that the Scottish Government has decided to abandon this rule.
“As a group, we have worked incredibly hard to bring attention to this non-logical rule, which has been the kiss of death for so many premises”
Alongside their petition the NTIA had lobbied Ministers and MSP’s in Scottish government and endorsed a study to review whether background music did in fact cause behaviours which may increase the risk of Covid transmission.
