Happy Hours!

Hospitality sector granted extended opening hours during summer festivals

Pubs and restaurants in the Capital will once again be able to take advantage of extended opening hours during the festival season this summer.

Edinburgh’s Licensing Board has agreed to allow each on-sale licensed establishment with a seasonal variation in their licence to extend their normal opening times for an additional two hours, if public health guidance allows.

The dates for this year are 6 – 30 August to tie in with the Festival Fringe and the Edinburgh International Festival (7 – 29 August).

Convener of the Licensing Board, Councillor Norman Work, said: “It’s been a tough year for the hospitality sector and as a Board we recognise the need to do everything we can to support licensed premises to help them operate as normally as they can within any COVID-19 restrictions in force at the time.

“The majority of pubs and restaurants have seasonal variations in their licence covering the summer festivals. That means that as long as public health guidance allows, many businesses will be able to take advantage of increased trade with extended opening hours during August, which is great news for the city.”