ALL Glasgow pubs, clubs, restaurants and hotels will be able to enjoy an extra hour’s opening during the forthcoming 2018 European Championships.
Glasgow Licensing Board has agreed that all on-sale licensed premises in the city should be able to remain open for an additional hour throughout the competition, which runs from Thursday, August 2 until Sunday, August 12.
The decision means that bars can move their closing time from 12 midnight to 1am while clubs in the city centre can remain open until 4am for the duration of the event. Last orders for restaurants and hotels vary in accordance with their own individual conditions. The extension does not apply to casinos, which will be able to continue to operate until 6am as normal.
Premises do not have to apply for the extension. Instead they will simply be expected to notify the Licensing Section at Glasgow City Council of their intention to open later to take advantage of the scheme.
No premises is obliged to take up the offer and licence holders who opt in can still make their own business-related decisions on when they wish to open in accordance with the hour’s extension.
With Glasgow set for its biggest festival of sport since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, it is anticipated there will be a celebratory atmosphere across the city for spectators, residents and visitors alike.
Chair of Glasgow Licensing Board, Councillor Matt Kerr, said: “The European Championships will again put Glasgow in the international spotlight with a potential TV audience of over one billion tuning in to view the sporting action. There will also be thousands of athletes in the city and visitors coming to Glasgow for the first-ever multi-sport European Championships.
“Festival 2018 will also provide a cultural experience away from the sport and it’s right the city is geared up to provide as warm a welcome as possible.
“Glasgow pubs, clubs and restaurants have a fantastic reputation and we know from our experience during the Commonwealth Games that people in the city want to go out and enjoy themselves after the day’s competition is over.
“I’m sure our licensed trade will rise to the occasion as they always do.”
Glasgow is co-hosting the 2018 European Championships with Berlin. Glasgow and other locations in Scotland will host swimming, cycling, rowing, triathlon, gymnastics and golf. Berlin will stage the athletics competition of the event.
Find out more about the event at www.glasgow2018.com