‘Happy Christmas Shetland’ – board grants extension to pub opening hours 

Festivities held at a previous Christmas parade. Photo: Dave Donaldson.

Pubs and clubs will again be able to open later this festive period after the licensing board granted a blanket extension.

Licensed premises will be able to stay open until 2am between 16th December[ and 1st January inclusive.

Nightclubs already permitted to open until 3am on specified days, will be able to stay open until that time throughout the same period.

Board chairman Neil Pearson said: “Happy Christmas Shetland.

“I hope you enjoy yourselves responsibly.”

The blanket extension, which applies to 103 premises throughout the isles, has been granted every year since 2009.

This year, for the first time, licensed premises will be asked to tell the board and police if they plan on taking advantage of the extension.

It follows a similar approach to the license extension granted for the Tall Ships Races in July.

Only eight of the 43 eligible premises made use of that extension.

Council solicitor Keith Adam told members that a condition requiring premises to inform the board would meant that authorities, including police, could know where would be staying open.

Lerwick North and Bressay member Stephen Leask was against the condition, however, saying it seemed like the “nanny state” and could mean premises missing out if they did not respond in time.

Board chairman Neil Pearson suggested instead that premises could instead be invited to inform the board and police “as a courtesy”, rather than as a condition.

Mr Leask proposed the amended motion, taking Mr Pearson’s suggestion into account, which was approved.