Edinburgh licensing board scraps overprovision policy in split vote

Edinburgh’s licensing board has voted to abolish its long-standing overprovision policy.

The policy, which previously created a presumption against granting new premises licences in areas deemed to have a high density of alcohol outlets, was removed following a 5–3 vote by board members. The decision came after a period of consultation and review, during which the board considered evidence from stakeholders including Police Scotland, NHS Lothian, and Alcohol Focus Scotland.

Under the former policy, areas such as the Old Town, Princes Street, Tollcross, and Leith Street were identified as overprovided. While each application was still considered on its merits, the policy often led to restrictions on capacity or operating hours, or conditions requiring alcohol to be ancillary to food.

Licensing convenor councillor Louise Young, who voted to retain the policy, expressed concern about the implications of its removal. “I was, and remain, concerned that the removal of identified areas of overprovision will now make it harder for the board to manage the availability of alcohol in areas of the city which are already well provided for,” she said.

Supporters of the change, including SNP councillor Catherine Fullerton and Conservative councillor Jason Rust, argued that the policy was outdated and ineffective. Rust stated that the board already has robust tools to regulate alcohol sales through licensing objectives and enforcement.

Green councillor Chas Booth opposed the decision, calling it “a deeply retrograde step for public health” and citing evidence from NHS Lothian linking alcohol outlet density to health harms.

Licensing lawyer Niall Hassard welcomed the move, suggesting that concerns about the board’s ability to scrutinise applications without the policy were unfounded. He noted that the board remains empowered to assess each application against licensing objectives.

The board has indicated that future decisions will place greater emphasis on how applicants demonstrate compliance with licensing objectives, particularly in the absence of a formal overprovision framework.