Black Watch Ball effected by new licensing laws

Nov 13 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

AN element of the new licensing laws recently introduced across Scotland has impacted upon the 60-year-old tradition of The Black Watch Ball ... writes Alison Anderson.

For the past four years, Perth Concert Hall has staged this major event for Black Watch officers, past and present, their friends and families, who have danced into the wee small hours, many fortified for the duration of the ball by the unlimited alcohol included in the ticket price.

But this year, their reels were threatened with being reeled in by the licensing laws, which is catching event organisers across the country on the hop.

Gone are the days in Scotland when tickets could be sold with the promise of unspecified amounts of alcohol included in the price – even if the patrons are those who have fought, or are fighting, for Queen and Country!

The unforeseen hurdle arose when operators of Perth Concert Hall applied to Perth and Kinross Licensing Board for permission to extend its licensing hours for the night of the ball – December 18 – until 4am. During what is classed as the Festive Season, Board policy allows licensed premises to serve alcohol until 3am, but for the 200 Black Watch Ball guests their dance manoeuvres keep going until 4am.

Ball organiser Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Roddy Riddell, secretary, The Black Watch, said: “The Black Watch Regiment is a great big family and we see the Ball as a way of keeping the wider regimental family together.”

Stuart Hutton for the Concert Hall assured the board it was “a well policed and managed event as you would expect of a military organisation”.

After discussing the issue in private, the Board returned a unanimous decision that the alcohol licence for December 18 would only be valid until 3am, which, said convener Bob Band, was consistent with its festive hours policy.

He added: “We’ve no problem with the dancing continuing until 4am but an entertainment licence will be necessary. Many events which have operated in the same way in the past will no longer be able to operate like that.”