Licensing board grants 2am licences for dance nights at Mareel
Dance music lovers will be able to party on in Mareel until 2am after the SIC’s licensing board agreed to a string of late licences for nightclub activity in the new venue.
That will kick in from tonight when one of Scotland’s leading dance acts, the Slam DJs, are due to play at the very first club night in Mareel.
A Shetland Arts spokeswoman said the organisation was “delighted” to have gained the licences, adding tonight’s event would be “a fantastic way to launch opening season”.
Last summer, the licensing board decided against granting a routine 2am licence for the £12 million venue. It means Shetland Arts has to apply to the board each time it wants Mareel to stay open beyond its standard 1am closing time.
On Friday morning the board approved a number of 2am weekend extensions for nightclub activity between now and early January.
Promoters Klub Revolution last week announced dance nights featuring DJ Kutski, Lisa Lashes and Mylo between now and Christmas.
Licensing board chairman George Smith said the matter had been given a “thorough airing” before a decision to grant the 2am licences was taken.
“What we’re expecting them to do is look again at the operating plan, and we would be wanting them [Shetland Arts] to consider adjusting their operating plan if this was a regular activity,” he said.
Mr Smith continued: “You have to take every application on its merits. We are cognisant that there are two nightclubs in Lerwick, both of which have 2am licences through grandfathering rights from when the legislation changed.
“There has to be a new policy in place by November 2013, and one of the areas we’ll certainly want to look at is what would be defined as a nightclub.”
Colin Hunter
I was under the impression that “Mareel” was meant to be a “Music and Arts” venue. When did it also become a “Night Club”? Was this always part of GG & The AFBs master plan? Or was it forced upon them by financial reality? I have heard precious few reports about the films that are being shown, or the acts that are on, but I hear plenty about how good the County subsidised beer is, albeit that it’s probably warm and flat by the time you actually get it.
The more I hear, the more convinced I am that the place should never have been built where it is, if at all. What about the poor people in Browns road and the surrounding area? They’re going to be very badly affected by noisy crowds when the place closes at 2AM. It must have knocked thousands off the value of some of the adjacent properties. I know I wouldn’t like to have such a monstrosity on my doorstep! If there are already two night clubs in Lerwick, is there any need for another?
peter smith
I’ve got to agree with Colin’s opening question.
This all conflicts with the claim about better thinking on drinking that Shetland Arts were espousing a few months ago. Actions speak louder than words – licences for the cinema, cafe/bar closed to treble the number of beer taps, and now 2am opening.
As any of the experts will tell you, the inability to enjoy social activity without alcohol means you have a problem with it. Clearly Shetland Arts has little concern for this.