A CONTROVERSIAL curfew which has been in place for nearly 30 YEARS banning customers from entering Inverclyde pubs and clubs after a certain time of night has finally been scrapped.

Inverclyde is the last authority in the country still imposing the time bar - which was latterly set at midnight - preventing people moving to another venue after that time.

But the licensing board yesterday unanimously agreed to remove the curfew after a root and branch review of the policy showed widespread opposition to it.

In consultation with Police Scotland it was determined there was NO evidence that the three-decade-long curfew had any impact on crime, disorder or public safety.

A public consultation will now take place before a new policy - with no time limit on entry to pubs, clubs and bars - is put in place.

Greenock Telegraph:

Licensing board chair, Councillor Graeme Brooks, told the Telegraph: "I am happy that the board has decided to remove the curfew after careful consideration of our obligations as a board.

"The board decided that there was no evidence that our five requirements as a board were being enhanced by the curfew, and we were the last in Scotland to have a curfew."

Councillor Brooks - who was appointed as chair last year - had prioritised at the outset of his tenure a move to scrapping the rule which was first introduced in 1994.

Since then the cut-off time has changed from 11pm to 11.30pm before finally being moved to midnight.

Councillor Brooks said: "We have had context anecdotally that with the curfew there was binge drinking with people trying to get finished before moving on to beat the curfew.

"Hopefully that will now take one of the challenges away. There was also anecdotal evidence of people getting locked outside of premises when they went outside to put a friend in a taxi."

Police had initially expressed support for keeping the curfew as part of the five-year review of the Inverclyde Licensing Board Policy Statement.

But the licensing board heard yesterday that subsequently it was stated by senior officers that there was no evidence that curfew had any postive impact on reducing crime or disorder or increasing public safety.

Councillor Elizabeth Robertson, who had previously been a member of the board that had decided to keep the curfew in place five years ago, said: "I think what is important is that this [latest decision] is evidence based and I think it is important that this was taken with evidence from Police Scotland."

Fellow board member Councillor Paul Cassidy said he was happy to accept the removal of the curfew based on evidence from the police and other consultations.