[Tam's Loup]

In Scotland, alcohol cannot be sold on a Sunday before 12:30pm.

A most bizarre and frustrating law. I'd like to do my supermarket shopping on Sunday mornings, but there's no point as I'd need to go back later for the alcohol.

Who thought this up please?

[JessicaFletcher]

Perhaps if they scrapped the law, church goers would drop and be in the off licence instead

[Reaperville]

It's very strange. Is last orders still at a different time than other days too? The 'sunday is special' stuff is weird.

[Tam's Loup]

As a lad, I remember nobody would ever do a washing on a Sunday. It would have been the talk of the town if you had.

[TommyGavin76]

Originally Posted by Tam's Loup

In Scotland, alcohol cannot be sold on a Sunday before 12:30pm.

A most bizarre and frustrating law. I'd like to do my supermarket shopping on Sunday mornings, but there's no point as I'd need to go back later for the alcohol.

Who thought this up please?

I didn't know that, but it's a weird law. I couldn't do my Supermarket shop on a Sunday because of it, even if you don't drink there are plenty of things i cook that have booze in them.

[grumpyscot]

Originally Posted by Tam's Loup

In Scotland, alcohol cannot be sold on a Sunday before 12:30pm.

Be grateful you don't live in Stornoway. No shops open on sundays, no ferries no nothing. Some B&Bs don't even allow TVs to be switche don on a sunday. That's the "wee frees" (Free Church of Scotland for you.)

But at least in Scotland you can go to Asda at 2am on a Sunday morning, or even 11pm on a Sunday night - not like south of the border where shop hours are still in the dark ages.

Imagine B&Q closing at 4pm! Ours opens at 9am - 8pm on Sundays!

Its the same law in Ireland I believe

[Deaf Leppard]

I am the holder of an Alcohol Licence (Retail) and the reason for this law in Scotland is as someone has previously suggested: Alcohol cannot be sold on a sunday before 12:30pm because in the days of old when more of the good British people actually attended church on a Sunday morning, the prospect of buying an early morning weekend drink would be a lure too much and the church would be left sitting full of womenfolk and children, the menfolk setting a bad example.

The law has just never been changed to catch up with modern times.

There is also another law which lives on which says that a policeofficer cannot be on licensed premises whilst on duty unless it is specificly for the purpose of upholding the law. This again is because often (in the days when you would actually still see a bobby on the beat) the towns police officer would spend his shift downing some crafty pints while the criminals could take advantage of this.

The law has never changed, along with the one which says prostitutes cannot be knowingly permitted on licensed premises...

[sm79]

Originally Posted by grumpyscot

Be grateful you don't live in Stornoway. No shops open on sundays, no ferries no nothing. Some B&Bs don't even allow TVs to be switche don on a sunday. That's the "wee frees" (Free Church of Scotland for you.)

But at least in Scotland you can go to Asda at 2am on a Sunday morning, or even 11pm on a Sunday night - not like south of the border where shop hours are still in the dark ages.

Imagine B&Q closing at 4pm! Ours opens at 9am - 8pm on Sundays!

Not at all true! Although most places do stay closed there is one main shop that is open along with most of the pubs, still no ferries but thats more to do with Cal Mac than anything, if you do want to travel to or from the island, the airport is open with flights from Gla and Edi, and its probably fair to say you can watch the tv wherever you are! Had to check that the quoted post wasnt from 1947 or something!!

[TUTV Viewer]

The law only changed about 15 years ago. Prior to that it was illegal for supermarkets/shops to sell Alcohol in Scotland on a Sunday.

[retro.ron]

Years ago in Scotland on a Sunday if you fancied a pint you could not use a pub or hotel in your own town/ village ! you had to go to another town \ village. I did not believe this but old timers in my local and old guys at work talk about this from time to time!

It was some old Scottish bylaw.

[gomezz]

Originally Posted by Tam's Loup

In Scotland, alcohol cannot be sold on a Sunday before 12:30pm.

Reminds of being on holiday in the far north of Scotland and wandering into a bar on Sunday morning only to be told: Sorry we aren't open yet. But come in and have a drink while you are waiting.

[ACertainRomance]

I can't understand why people can't come back another time for their alcohol, why would it be such a neccessity on a Sunday morning?

[gomezz]

Well for me it was because I tore my knee ligaments playing beach football and was in absolute agony. Had a few drinks in the bar, took back and downed a bottle of Scotch in the afternoon which hardly touched it and I was still stone cold sober after going back for the evening session then onto a local's croft where I accepted his offer of more drink but refused his offer as a faith-healer to lay his hands on.

Originally Posted by ACertainRomance

I can't understand why people can't come back another time for their alcohol, why would it be such a neccessity on a Sunday morning?

Or even plan ahead and buy it on Saturday?

[valkay]

It doesn't seem many years ago when you couldn't buy a drink at all on Sunday in Wales, and all the pubs were shut.

[TommyGavin76]

Originally Posted by ACertainRomance

I can't understand why people can't come back another time for their alcohol, why would it be such a neccessity on a Sunday morning?

Because as an adult over 18 I should be able to buy alcohol anytime I want.