Licensing chief 'stands by' cut in Helensburgh pub's hours

But Councillor David Kinniburgh did not rule out the possibility of another review for the Logie Baird, which has admitted that business is becoming unviable.

The James Street pub is now closing completely at 11pm on Friday nights due to lack of customers who are in the premises before the curfew imposed by the licensing board.

Its Saturday night hours will remain the same for the time being – but the Logie Baird’s Facebook page also said that the future was “very bleak”.

Councillor Kinniburgh said: “The board have made the decision and as far as I am concerned the decision would stand.

“But if they came back in requesting that it is reviewed again, it would have to be considered whether or not we would do that.

“It will be reviewed after six months in any case, but that would be my position at the moment.

“If the premises is closing at 11pm on a Friday then that is their business decision. They have a licence until 1am but if they have decided to close at 11pm, it is their decision.

“I honestly couldn’t tell you for certain whether there is a right of appeal against the decision, but I am not aware of any.

“If we were to be requested to review it again, I am not sure what the outcome of that would be. It would be up to the board.”

Cara and Milan Nikolic, owners of the Logie Baird, have said that the premises WILL close unless the licensing board overturns its decision to move its licensing time from 2am to 1am at weekends with an 11pm curfew.

The board made the decision on Tuesday, April 23 after a near three-hour hearing after Police Scotland asked for a review of the licence.

The police service revealed that 98 incidents had taken place since the Nikolics took over the premises in February 2017, with 79 of those happening between midnight and 2am on weekend nights.

A statement from Mrs Nikolic on the online petition said: “The strict 11pm curfew and earlier closing hours have made Logies unviable in just two weeks.

“The livelihood of our nine staff plus five DJs and five door stewards is at stake. Logies simply cannot survive six months until the next licensing board.

“Let’s not be a town with no entertainment for our young people and with our rejuvenated C-listed cinema lying empty once again.

“Since being told we were being sent for a review in November we have made significant changes and operational improvements working with Police Scotland and have had five incidents in the last five months. This is great work.

“We would all like no incidents, but let’s put this into perspective and in the context that we have a 350 people capacity and used to have 700 people through our doors each weekend.

“This decision has to be reconsidered urgently – please restore our late licence and return the 1am curfew enjoyed by the rest of the town.

“Otherwise Logies WILL close.

“Let’s move forward, not backward, Helensburgh.”