Licensing board approves extra drinking up time for north hop night

COUNCILLORS on Shetland’s licensing board have approved an extension of licensed hours for the Northmavine Up Helly Aa hop night.

The Hillswick hall applied to extend its hours from 1am to 2am on Sunday 23 February to allow extra drinking up time for those waiting on transport.

Its application said the intention was to close the bar at 1am and stop all music then too.

It added: “Given that there will be attendees that are waiting on bus and taxi transport, and local taxis are scarce and will have to make multiple trips, we feel it is safer to allow attendees to remain within the premises until their transport arrives and extend drinking up time for those awaiting pickup rather than ask them to leave.

“The hall sits on the public road and we do not want any accidents due to someone wandering in front of a car while awaiting pick-up.

“This has worked well in the past and allowed everyone to leave in a controlled manner.”

At a meeting at Lerwick Town Hall on Monday morning the licensing board heard that only drink bought before 1am would be allowed to be consumed in the extra hour.

Shetland West councillor Liz Peterson moved that the application be approved, saying it was “important for people to be safe in the hall” especially if it was poor weather.

Licensing board chair Neil Pearson said Hillswick was a “very well run” hall.

A number of similar extensions for Up Helly Aa hop nights have been approved in the past by the board.