Licensing Expert Scott Blair has penned an article for the Scottish Licensing Law and Practice (SLLP) journal about the latest COVID-19 regulations affecting the hospitality sector.

As a guest columnist for the journal, Scott was asked to offer his thoughts on the ever changing regulations from the Scottish Government on the operation of the licensed trade in the face of the pandemic.

“The regulations changed on the day the article went out for publication. This underlines how fast moving the scene is and I had to update the article to take account of this.

"Many will be aware of concerns on the part of the sector about aspects of the guidance issued under the various Scottish Statutory Instruments, such as on not playing music in licensed premises and on how hygiene is to be maintained. I decided to focus on how that official guidance related to these instruments and to provide my own views on the legal status of the guidance and in what circumstances it might be departed from.

“I hope the article helps in assisting licensing solicitors and the sector in acquiring a better understanding of an increasingly complex regulatory scene."

To read the article in full, please visit www.sllp.co.uk