Airth’s Elphinstone Inn granted licence

Airth’s Elphinstone Inn has been granted a premises licence after its new owners said their aim was to run a friendly pub that doesn’t cause problems for its neighbours.
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William and Mary Drummond, who have been running it with a temporary licence for the past six weeks, have been asking customers to use the back door at night to keep noise to a minimum and are not allowing outdoor drinking. 

Falkirk Council’s licensing board heard there had been two objections to the licence being granted – both from neighbours who were fed up with the noise and anti-social behaviour that had been a problem in the past. 

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But when one resident spoke to the board about her fears, she told them that in the past few weeks the new management of the pub had been “exemplary”. 

She wanted assurances from the board that the good management would continue once a full licence was granted – in particular that there would be none of the noise nuisance from live music that had been a problem in the past. 

Gordon Elmslie, representing the new owners, said there were plans to have a live singer once a month but it would be in the lounge are and would finish well before closing time. 

The new managers have installed bright lights and CCTV to make sure that customers are not drinking outside when they shouldn’t be. 

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Mr Elmslie said that the majority of customers were older and not attracted to loud music. 

“I am sure that having the occasional licence has given us the opportunity to demonstrate we can be good neighbours,” he said. 

“We wish to respect people’s home lives – we are aware of potential noise which is why we have put in a 9pm curfew on the front door which leads to the main street.” 

Licensing board convener Niall Coleman said he was satisfied that the objections related to the way in which the pub had been run in the past although “they do reflect the feeling of the community and the board is mindful of that”. 

The board granted the licence with the condition that live music stops at least half an hour before closing time.

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