Nightclubs will now be able to stay open until later in a significant move from the local council

Ten Glasgow nightclubs have been given the green light to remain open until 4:AM by the local council, following a years-long fight to extend opening hours. The decision follows a continued battle to increase the opening hours of clubs across the city after the launch of a pilot scheme in 2019. The period to enrol in the scheme was extended due to the pandemic and was only recently discussed again by councillors. The licensing board have now announced the decision to grant extended opening hours to 10 nightclubs in the city centre, including Sub Club (pictured), which first opened its doors in 1987.

The 10 clubs also include Berkeley Suite, Savoy, Bamboo, Polo Lounge, AXM Club, The Cathouse, The Garage, Tropicana & Vogue, and Kokomo. Councillors also heard from licensing officials and Police Scotland to inform their decision, which looked at the planned 12-month pilot period through 2019. “A pilot of 4am closing for city centre nightclubs began in 2019 but was disrupted by the covid pandemic,” said a spokesman for the licensing board (via Glasgow Live).

It was agreed to extend the pilot to allow as full an understanding as possible of the impact of extending opening hours for the ten clubs involved in the scheme, which was available to licence holders who could demonstrate a high standard of operation. The licensing board has now considered the impact of the pilot, hearing a range of views from operators, police, licensing standards officers and health,” they said. The decision hasn’t always been fully backed by councillors, however. Councillor Matt Kerr said in 2018 that there had been a “strong view” over the policy, arguing that it wanted to “support the licensed trade” while ensuring the “safeguards expected of us by the licensing legislation”.