Council Departments

Unlicensed Leith pub in trouble

By The Basa ⋅ April 30, 2005 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

An old well known Leith pub which has seemingly been operating without a license, is being handled in a totally different way than when this happened before and the bar owner was our own Deputy Lord Provost, the incredibly dodgy Steve Cardownie. Back in July 2004:

An undercover investigator discovered in July that his bar was breaching the city’s strict planning conditions after he posed as a customer and bought a drink.

The joint currently has planning permission to operate as a licensed restaurant and is not allowed to be run as a public house.

It is understood the problems came to light when staff failed to ask the inspector if he wanted food. The tables and chairs were also laid out more like a pub than a restaurant, while none of the customers had ordered or was eating food.

Readers will remember last year when Councillor Cardownie’s well known under-age drinking haunt at the West End was selling alcohol without a license in July 2004 and without proper planning permission in September 2004.

The Russian-themed bar, in which Councillor Steve Cardownie is a partner, was accused by council officials of running as a pub for more than two months without the correct planning permission.

Now, the venue in Shandwick Place has applied for proper planning consent, and city planning chiefs have recommended the bid gets the go-ahead at a meeting on Wednesday.

No bungs required here because he is Councillor and Deputy Lord Provost. So that’s all right then. Why he didn’t have the balls to resign over this is frightening.

It is strange that this bar in Leith would be handled differently from the dodgy Councillor’s case. Also in July that year, Cardownie was shamed when it was highlighted that he was contributing to binge drinking in the city, against the Council’s policy, by offering “Rocket Fuel” vodka shots for just £1 all day.

More info on Leith bar and how our leaders run the inspiring capital:
Unlicensed Leith pub in the dock
More info on Dodgy Cardownie:
Cardownie wins go-ahead for pub despite planning breach
Pub switch for under-fire venue
Got the OK to be a pub? Nyet a chance!
Cardownie drops cheap drink promo
The tsar’s bar

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