Wax Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 I think the problem here is that the council's approach in general can reek of inconsistency most of the time. The licensed trade is a very easy target. Initiatives that have been discussed or implemented in recent years include the smoking ban, banning of flyers, disallowing the advertising of irresponsible drink promotions (supermarkets??!!), fly-posting crackdowns (look at Edinburgh in the height of festival season) and extra policing funded by the licensed trade.Here's a prime example of inconsistency, this sums up what we have to work with on a regular basis: Last New Year, we were invited by the council to join in the street party instead of being fenced off like the year before. We would have to agree not to sell advance tickets, since the council couldn't guarantee entry if the street party was at capacity. Considering we could have sold quite a few tickets before the night, guaranteeing us income, this was a major concession. We agreed however. Secondly we were asked to bring our pricing in line with the other premises within the boundary of the street party. The pricing policy the council adopted? Vodkas for 1.25. They chose Archibald Simpson's pricing policy and asked the other venues to reduce their's in line with this. We refused. One of the biggest nights of the year for underage drinking and drunk and disorderly morons let loose on the streets and we were asked to reduce our prices by 50%?!I wonder where the staff of St. Nicholas House go for their afterwork drink? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundian Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Umm, fast food outlets are required to have a licence, and so pay a licence fee already.Maybe they should pay more then.I fail to see the problem here. It seems like some folk are using it as a convenient excuse to have a whinge about the council. Change the record folks, the council is there to look after the wider interests of Aberdeen, not the narrow interests of certain individuals or establishments.Maybe they can serve the wider interest by actually thinking about problems and identifying the "good" from the "bad" before making blanket bans.If someone is seriously suggesting that flyers are the only way to ensure a crowd at gigs or punters in a club, then perhaps the people running those establishments need to take a long hard look at themselves. No one is suggesting that, I don't think flyering for gigs is very effective although it works better for clubs. I'm obviously talking about clubs that put on "name" DJ's, not the cattle markets, flyering is the lifeblood of cattle markets.Viable establishments which can offer decent quality entertainment should have nothing to fear. But why should they have their rights reduced when it's the places that are not offering decent (any) quality entertainment that produce the vast majority of discarded flyers. (Apart from the fact that the litter problem lies more with discarded fast food wrappers etc). Anyway, if it was me making the decisions I'd try it my way first and see what the effects were and if there was still a perceived flyer problem after a couple of years, go for the total ban. You never know, it may make those pubs/clubs that aren't viable without mass flyering take a long hard look at themselves without infringing on the rights of people who are trying to offer entertainment rather than just a place to get bladdered cheap. In saying all that though, maybe they've already investigated the legalities of restricting a ban to cheap booze advertising and found they can't so this is their second best option to target these places. Maybe their using the litter excuse as a smokescreen so the brewers/licensee's don't see what they're really up to and mount a legal challenge. Maybe that's crediting the council with too much intelligence and cunning.Oh, and they're spending my money running this city so I'll reserve the right to piss and moan about them until they stop lightening my pocket every month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 I'm pretty sure I've never gone into a pub or club on the back of being handed a flyer. They usually get tossed as soon as I get them since I generally know where I'm going to when I walk down Belmont Street. I'm not a lost lemming wandering around aimlessly hoping to get inspiration from some twat in a blue bomber jacket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogofish Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 I didn't see one in Belmont street last Friday. but I still think theres not enough bins, especially on places like george street. Even walk from triple kirks to the Belmont and see how many bins there are. Just counted them. Belmont St/Back Wynd is served by @20 public bins (nb, I am not counting the similar number of private bins for individual biz waste/bottles).George St had the same provision of street bins as my old st nearby & I don't think you need to go more than a few seconds before you pass one.So, if you can't find one, should your carers be letting you out unescorted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Just counted them. Belmont St/Back Wynd is served by @20 public bins (nb, I am not counting the similar number of private bins for individual biz waste/bottles).20? Where the fuck are they?There's one at the top outside RSVP, there's one round the corner of the chip shop. Where are the rest?I should pay more attention on my way to work everyday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogofish Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 20? Where the fuck are they?There's one at the top outside RSVP, I should pay more attention on my way to work everyday...Yes, there are 7 or 8 within spitting distance of RSVP. 6 street bins, 2 dumpsters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 I wonder where the staff of St. Nicholas House go for their afterwork drink?probably the same off-license they get their during work drink from.There was always free booze on offer, as much as you could drink at council events. It was the only way you could get councillors to attend these thingsBBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Council boss 'taped up letterbox' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Human rights. Freedom of choice etc. No? o_OWhat about the human rights and freedom of choice of people who might like to go out on the weekends but aren't drunken noisy immature twats? I shudder to think how tourists perceive the place. It's the same as everything else though, if you want civilisation the only option is to get the fuck out of aberdeen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogofish Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 probably the same off-license they get their during work drink from.Free booze works pretty well for journalists n'all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimyReizeger Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 they pick on the businesspeople who are trying to make money and sustain jobs in our city centre. .If all venues were consistent with one another, no-one would have the upper hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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