‘It’s a bit of a mess’: the impact of later alcohol trading hours for bars and nightclubs in Scotland according to qualitative interviews with local stakeholders

Background and aims

Permitting alcohol outlets to trade later at night is associated with increased intoxication, violence and burden on public services. Between 2017 and 2019 two processes led to later trading hours in 10 nightclubs in Glasgow (1-hour pilot extension, to 4am) and 38 bars in Aberdeen (1-3 hours extension, to 3am). We explored stakeholder views on the impact of these later hours against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and UK cost of living crisis.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews conducted March 2022 to March 2023 with 39 stakeholders (10 public health/community/police; 14 frontline services; 9 licensing stakeholders (non-trade); and 6 venue owners/managers), analysed using framework analysis.

Results

Participants across both cities reported mixed consumer demand for extended trading hours. Consequently, later hours were used irregularly and unpredictably by venues and economic benefits were at best smaller than anticipated. Low demand was attributed to the pandemic, cost of living crisis and changing drinking patterns. Frontline workers were more likely than those in other/more senior roles in policing, health and local government to report increased violence and disorder during the later hours. In Aberdeen, changes were perceived broadly negatively, due to greater demand from often vulnerable drinkers later at night, which outstripped the capacity of ambulance, policing, transport and voluntary services. In Glasgow, impact on services was more often described as mixed or neutral, although some transport and voluntary services were not available to cover the extra hour.

Conclusions

Night-time economy stakeholders in Glasgow and Aberdeen perceived little or no economic benefits from the introduction of later trading hours, lower than anticipated consumer demand and increased demand for services, which often outstripped service capacity. Policymakers should treat with scepticism claims of benefits from later trading hours and consider other measures which address alcohol harms and pressure on services.

KEY POINT SUMMARY

• Demand for later hours was mixed in both cities; subsequently, use of the extensions by venues was unpredictable and reported economic benefits minimal.

• The after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, cost of living crisis and changing drinking patterns were described as factors influencing lower than expected demand.

• Frontline workers were more likely than those in strategic roles to describe increased violence and disorder during the later hours.

• Ambulance, policing, transport and voluntary services struggled to meet demand from often vulnerable drinkers during the later hours in Aberdeen, and some transport and voluntary organisations were unable to meet demand during the extra hour in Glasgow.