The Stornoway Golf Club is applying for a license to serve alcohol on and off the premises on Sundays. Hebrides News reports that four objections have been lodged, mainly on religious and social grounds. I actually agree with these arguments, which center on the assertion that providing carry-outs contribute towards anti-social behaviour. The low point of the week in my radio listening is Isles FM on Monday morning, listing all the misdeeds of the weekends, perpetrated mainly under the influence of alcohol between Friday and Sunday.
I wish to make it clear that I am not opposed to the consumption of alcohol as such - I am not averse to a glass of beer, wine or spirits at times myself. However, I feel a degree of double-standards in the issue of the Golf Club license creeping in, hence this post.
Either there is Sunday opening in all licensed premises in Stornoway - or all licensed premises are shut on Sunday. If the Golf Club is denied its license, then all licenses for the serving of alcoholic drink on Sunday should be revoked from all the licensed premises in the town.
You are quite correct about the catalogue of offences on Isles FM Every Monday morning week in week out- not so long ago if people finished up with their names in the gazette they were ashamed - now it is worn as a badge of honour.
ReplyDeleteThe Golf Club is playing a sneaky game and should be grateful to the SY Trust for leasing them the whole Golf Course site for a quid (£1) a week. They signed on for the lease and in accepting the peppercorn rent they also accepted the "No Sunday Golf" clause. Where's the problem both the Tenant (the Golf Club) and the Landlord (SY Trust) agreed the No Sunday Golf Clause.
The casual Bystander woud think the SY Trust is imposing No Sunday Golf when in fact both parties agreed to this clause.
The Colf Club Committe ought to honour the agreement they signed even although quite clearly they cannot honour the Sunday. A Stornoway Sunday is one of the things that makes our Island different and Special - maintain the Status Quo and leave it alone!!
Can you imagine all the 'alcies' getting done up in Pringle sweaters and checked trousers to try and blag a Sunday 'cairry oot'?
ReplyDeleteWhile the Golf Club do indeed pay a peppercorn rent to the Trust, bear in mind that they have done improvements to the Trust property, creating a golf course out of moorland in the last sixty years. The last round of improvements a few years ago, (to the course not clubhouse), cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. Can the Trust match that investment- no they are only interested in windfarms, and not locally run ones either! I bet when the turbines come, they will still turn on the Sabbath....
ReplyDeleteThinking more laterally perhaps Sunday is the best day to play golf in Stornoway as if you get a hole in one there are no drinks to buy.
ReplyDeletePip pip
Can you play gofe with short arms? (and long pockets...)
ReplyDeleteWe'll soon find out when Trump builds that new course near Aberdeen!
ReplyDelete