Edinburgh abandons plans to ban glasses in pubs

Plans to ban glasses and bottles from pubs across the Scottish capital have been abandoned after city chiefs decided there was no need for the drastic action.

Edinburgh council's licensing board was swayed by strong opposition from the licensed trade and figures from the police showing the number of glassing incidents were relatively low.

The decision follows the announcement that the Scottish Beer And Pub Association (SBPA) is to take legal action against the licensing board in Glasgow for banning glass from its pubs and clubs.

The SBPA say the decision was totally disproportionate to the problem and the board was acting outside of its licensing powers.

Scottish trade chiefs have welcomed Edinburgh Council decision.

Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, told the Scotsman newspaper: "Edinburgh's decision is very welcome. We were totally against the introduction of plastic or toughened glasses in Glasgow and Edinburgh.​

"Glasgow is the only city in the world that does it and it doesn't do much for the image of the city. Edinburgh is the tourism capital of Scotland - the last thing you want is for a group of tourists to ask for a bottle of wine, only to be told it needs to be poured for them at the bar because glasses and bottles are not allowed.

"Tourists want to be comfortable and develop a nice image of a city. That won't happen if glass is banned."

He said glass bans could be enforced on a pub to pub basis but blanket bans were unfair.