by Ewan Turney
Two of Edinburgh's top pub operators have offered to pay for policing as part of their applications for new large clubs in the city centre.
The proposals came after Lothian and Borders assistant chief constable Malcolm Dickson had called for the applications to be thrown out, following a 60% rise in crime in the area concerned.
However, cousins Saltire owner Billy Lowe and Festival owner Kenneth Waugh put forward proposals to the licensing board to either contribute towards the cost of policing or donate time from a senior manager to work with police and the council in a bid to curb alcoholfuelled disorder.
Saltire was granted permission for an £11m hotel, bar and nightclub on George Street while Festival Inns was granted a licence to open a £6m hotel, bar and jazz club on Hope Street.
"The offer is about finding a better way forward," said Saltire operations manager Mark Chivers. "Whether that is our managing director giving time or a financial contribution they are possibilities we had to look at. There are various similar situations in place in England and we had to look at the merits of them."
Chivers denied claims from Conservative councillor Alistair Paisley that the companies had been "backed into a corner" and forced to make the proposals out of fear of not gaining a licence.
Chivers said: "There was abso-lutely no pressure on us. The idea came up in discussions with Festival, which is a like minded company. We have a close relationship."
He added: "We cannot speak for all the other operators and we are not taking away the council's duty as we are tax payers after all, but we need to be positive."