A local authority boss has been quizzed over an “astonishing” lack of compliance with Covid-19 rules at an under-fire city centre pub.
Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, has written to the chief executive of Aberdeen City Council, Angela Scott, claiming Test and Protect guidelines have routinely not been properly followed at the Draft Project outdoor beer tent on Langstane Place.
It comes after Draft Project representative David Scott and the council’s Environmental Health officer Andrew Gilchrist revealed at a licensing board meeting last week that they understood the rules to mean that customer contact details should only be taken per group, rather than per household.
Scottish Government guidance states that details should be collected by premises “for each customer or visitor, or for a ‘lead household member’ of each household”.
In the letter seen by the Press and Journal, Mr Stewart calls on Ms Scott to outline what action will be taken if the venue is found to be “non-compliant” over the issue.
He said: “How can anyone in the city have any faith that this venue has been treated appropriately when the venue is unaware that it must collect Test and Protect details from all households?
“But most alarmingly, Environmental Health appear to misunderstand the regulations too.”
Operator of the pub PB Devco has come under fire from politicians after videos taken at the Draft Project during Scotland’s crunch match with Serbia showed large groups of supporters ignoring Covid-19 regulations.
The outdoor pub had its licence revoked for four days until PB Devco bosses agreed to stop serving alcohol at 10pm and no longer show high profile sporting occasions.
Mr Stewart also called on Aberdeen City Council to explain why the Draft Project’s outdoor structure had been deemed acceptable as a venue despite never being evaluated by city officials.
Mr Gilchrist stated at Thursday’s licensing meeting that it was his understanding that the venue was “deemed compliant without being measured”.
Strict rules have been set for Scotland’s hospitality trade, banning all indoor venues from serving alcohol and enforcing their closure at 6pm.
However, outdoor venues –including the Draft Project – can sell alcohol and remain open until 10pm.
Whether a venue is indoor or outdoor is calculated by environmental health and trading standards, assessing whether half the walls have been removed to allow airflow.
Mr Stewart claims images show that outdoor gables are not fully exposed and that plastic partially covers some walls.
He said: “These revelations are quite astonishing and bring the whole handling of the venue throughout this process into disrepute.
“There was a reason that I, and others, continually asked the question around the measurements and Test and Protect and now we know the truth.
“The venue hasn’t been measured by the council and both the venue and the council appear to misunderstand the fundamentals of Test and Protect in that contact details must be taken for each household – it truly beggars belief.
“I cannot see how anyone can have any faith in the licensing board and the council leadership after this disastrous affair.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “Our chief executive is in receipt of Mr Stewart’s letter and will respond directly to him once the request has been given due consideration.”
Stuart Clarkson, owner and founder of PB Devco, refused to comment on the matter.
