Scotland has brought in a new licensing law that will ban pubs and clubs from offering discounted drinks when bought in bulk.

Customers will also be entitled to free tap water, and soft drinks must be sold at a reasonable price. The changes will be watched carefully in England, where licensing laws have come under attack for being too soft.

Shops selling alcohol need a designated premise supervisor, who must be a personal licence holder and must be present whenever alcohol is being sold. Previously, a licence was required only for the premises.

Scottish firms that train bar staff have told clients that the new Act effectively outlaws asking customers “Same again?” because it could lead the customer into buying another drink.

Whilst I am all for reducing binge drinking, it gets silly when you can’t enjoy a drink with a bit of pub banter don’t you think?

For full details of the alcohol licensing courses available at BeSmart Training please visit the website.