Woman denies breaching Covid rules by allowing patrons inside Aberdeen pub to drink

A woman has denied breaching coronavirus regulations by allowing patrons inside Victoria Bar to drink alcohol in October last year.

Tracy Allison, who is understood to have been a member of staff at the bar at the time, is alleged to have contravened part of The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Additional Temporary Measures) (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

The 40-year-old, of Balnagask Road, Aberdeen, has now pled not guilty over the allegation in court.

It is alleged she breached the regulations by allowing patrons inside the bar to consume alcohol on October 9, the day tighter restrictions were imposed on the industry.

Days earlier, the Scottish Government had announced new measures would be introduced at 6pm on Friday, October 9, meaning hospitality businesses would only be allowed to open premises indoors between 6am and 6pm, with no alcohol permitted.

The announcement also stated alcohol sales were permitted outdoors until 10pm.

Allison was not personally present when the case called against her at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, however, a not guilty plea was entered on her behalf by defence agent Paul Barnett.

Sheriff Morag McLaughlin fixed a trial diet for December in the case, and set a pre-trial hearing for November.

It’s understood Allison no longer works at the bar.

Announcing the restrictions imposed on October 9, Nicola Sturgeon said: “Without action we are likely to return to the peak level of infections we had in the spring by the end of this month.

“We must consider the direct harm to health from the virus – which must be reduced – but do that alongside the harm being done to jobs and the economy, which in turn has an impact on people’s health and wellbeing.

“And we have to consider the wider harms to health and wellbeing that the virus – and the restrictions deployed to control it – are having on all of us.

“For all of these reasons, we are applying a far more targeted approach than we did in March – one which reduces opportunities for the virus to spread, while keeping businesses and other activities as open as possible.

“We hope that the restrictions already in place and those I have announced today will stem the increase in new cases. But I can’t stress enough that is fundamentally is down to all of us.

“The more we comply with all of the restrictions and advice the more effective they will be.

“It is also important because we want these restrictions to be temporary that we use the next two weeks to prepare, protect and prevent – to further strengthen our resilience and our ability to live alongside this virus.”