Scotland's Feeble Alcohol Ban

Scotland's ban on having a beer or glass of wine with a meal is shying away from the real problem of public drunkenness and anti-social behaviour.

Ministers are relying on a policy which says Scots can't enjoy a sociable drink without the risk of civilised Dr Jekyll turning into a rampaging Mr Hyde.

How embarrassing.

    

Covid Rules, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (11/12/21)

I don't believe there's a scrap of science behind the Scottish Government's alcohol ban because there's clearly no greater risk from having a glass of wine with your meal instead of a soft drink (or vice versa).

I can also confirm that having visiting a variety of well-run, well-managed hospitality venues in Glasgow, in recent months, a glass of wine with my food didn't turn me from Dr Jekyll into a raging Mr Hyde.

    

Covid Rules Gone Mad (09/12/20)

So the latest Covid restrictions announced by Scottish ministers mean that people in Glasgow are still banned from meeting up in each other's households.

While we can meet with friends and family (in groups of up to six from two households) for a meal (although only up till 6pm) - no one is allowed a glass of wine with their food.

Now that is ridiculous and I fail to see what science is behind such a policy, not least because there can't possibly be any risk attached to someone having a glass of Cab Sav, as opposed to a Coke with their lunch or evening meal.

Unless you happen to be a paid-up member of the God Squad, perhaps, which reminded me of a recent article in The Times featuring Jason Leitch, Scotland's clinical director, who is an evangelical Christian and member of the Airdrie Baptist Church.

Read the full article via the link to The Times below, but if you ask me the people making up these barmy rules have all gone completely mad. 

   

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scots-clinical-director-jason-leitchs-indian-charity-accused-of-dastardly-acts-xfm0fmt77

Scots clinical director Jason Leitch’s Indian charity accused of ‘dastardly acts’

Leitch: ran health clinics - Photo REUTERS

By Ken Pratt - The Sunday Times

A relief charity supported by Jason Leitch, the national clinical director at the heart of the Scottish drive against Covid-19, has been accused of “dastardly” acts.

Professor Leitch, an evangelical Christian, is a trustee of the India Rural Evangelical Fellowship (IREF), which runs orphanages in southeast India, provides free medical care and “Christian education” at further and higher levels for people from deprived backgrounds.

In January Leitch, who is a qualified dentist, and his wife Lynn, visited Repalle in Andhra Pradesh to run health clinics for schoolchildren. Leitch postponed a further planned after the pandemic struck in March.

The Indian-based Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) claims the Christian NGO is using the offer of help as a front to convert young people to Christianity, in some cases without parental permission. It claims to have protested to India’s home affairs ministry.

Anti-conversion laws exist in eight of India’s 29 states, banning people from converting someone “from one religion to another by use of force or by allurement or by any fraudulent means”. Legislation also prohibits people of other faiths promoting their religion near Hindu temples.

Glasgow's Hospitality Heroes - Bar 91 (10/11/20)

I was in Glasgow's Bar 91 the other day - a well-known, well-run hostelry on Candleriggs in the heart of Glasgow's Merchant City.

As ever the service was friendly and first class, but like most bars and restaurants Bar 91 is struggling because of the ScotGov restrictions on opening hours and the ban on selling alcohol.

A limited food menu is still available yet our power mad politicians decree that customers cannot enjoy a glass of wine or drink with their meal - and have to be bundled out the door by 6pm.

Now this is crazy if you ask me, because Bar 91 observes all the Covid safety rules:

• all tables are socially distanced  

• mask wearing inside is strictly enforced - by both customers and staff  

• the public areas are all cleaned scrupulously as customers come and go  

• customers have to provide their contact details 

• customers can have a table for two hours maximum

• customers are required to sanitise their hands on entry

• the bar/restaurant is run and managed responsibly - drunks or drunken behaviour have never been allowed

Now I bow to no one in taking Covid safety rules seriously - I am careful and cautious at all times (Hands/Face/Space), but in truth the ban on alcohol amounts to nothing more than a collective punishment.

Seems to me that Scotland's politicians are too cowardly to have an honest discussion about drunkenness and instead take the easy way out by treating everyone as though they can't be trusted - including responsible restaurant and bar owners.

Bar 91 can be found at 91 Candleriggs, Glasgow, G1 1NP - Phone number 0141 552 5211 - Email info@bar91.co.uk

   

Food Champs vs Food Chumps ((28/10/20)

Before this latest lockdown malarkey I enjoyed a great Burger and Halloumi fries at The Meat Bar in Glasgow's West Regent Street.

We were met at this door of this American style diner where our temperatures were checked before being shown to our socially distanced table.

The staff wore face coverings at all times and customers were required to do so as well, if they moved away from their tables to visit the rest rooms, for example.  

Everything was scrupulously clean and we enjoyed a really nice bottle of Spanish red wine with our meal - everyone was being extra careful and courteous, as you'd expect, and no one was remotely drunk or badly behaved.  

The Meat Bar offers a wide range of burgers, sandwiches, steaks, salads, small plates and side dishes - and I plan to return when the government's scapegoating of restaurants is over. 

Because you can't tell me its safer for people to spend as long as they like in a Costa Coffee or Starbucks, yet they can't go for a meal and enjoy a glass of wine in a city centre restaurant.

The Meat Bar

142 West Regent Street

Glasgow, G2 2RQ

0141 204 3605

www.themeatbar.co.uk