A popular Peterhead bar and nightclub will be forced to close at its usual times after councillors decided Hogmanay was “not a special occasion”.
It will be early bed for those at the Caley Bar and Cube club this year despite it being one of the only bars in Scotland to open on New Year’s Eve and not close until the early hours of January 2 in previous years.
The venue, which has a long hallway, had been granted the late opening hours to match the club for Hogmanay, so it can act as an indoor queuing and taxi waiting area.
Owners Carl and Robin Hansen have had no issues while that system has been operated in the last nine years.
They found it matched the licensing objectives because it prevented crime and disorder, kept the public safer, prevented public nuisance, improved public health and protected young people from harm if they were waiting for a taxi alone.
Seasonal hours granted during the license change mean Cube nightclub will be open to 3am and the Caley Bar open to 1.30am on New Year’s Day – the limits for both types of premises under festive hours.
But to improve the service, space use and customer experience, the couple applied to keep the bar open to 3am.
The application came before Aberdeenshire Council’s North Licensing Board which has the discretion to grant extended hours for “a special event of local or national significance”.
But Mr Hansen said: “At the meeting, one of the councillors was preparing to approve the hours but was told Hogmanay didn’t meet the legal test as it wasn’t a special occasion.
“We think it’s a nonsense response as we’ve spoken to police and others and no one agrees with the decision.
“Apparently, because it happens every year, Hogmanay cannot be classed as a special occasion of local or national importance.
“This is a prime example of the sort of decision that is holding our town back as they’ve clearly not thought about the needs of the businesses or the people of Peterhead.”
The couple’s solicitor received an email with notes of the meeting.
A motion put forward by Anne Stirling seconded by Alastair Forsyth refusing the hours extension was agreed on “majority vote”.
Her reasoning for the rejection was that the application did not meet the legal test as it “did not relate to a special event or occasion to be catered on the premises, nor did it relate to a special event of local or national significance”.
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council confirmed that the application was refused at the meeting.
He added: “Because the applicant will be getting a letter with the details of the refusal, we are unable to make further comment.”
