Falkirk licensing: Former pub boss has licence endorsed

Alastair Black, 32, – who previously ran The Wheatsheaf in Falkirk along with his father – appeared in front of Falkirk Council’s licensing board today (Wednesday) where he apologised for failing to notify them of his conviction.

Police Sergeant Derek Simpson told the board that Mr Black had been spotted driving erratically by two police officers on patrol, at 1.15 am on September 20 last year.

Officers reported seeing the car he was driving accelerating sharply, then braking suddenly and swerving before the police finally stopped him near Beancross Farm on the A9.

Mr Black failed a roadside breath test and further tests revealed he was more than three times the legal limit.

He was convicted on June 29 this year, receiving an £800 fine and was disqualified from driving until next September.

As a personal licence holder, Mr Black should have notified the licencing board within one month of his conviction but he failed to do so. Addressing the board, he apologised for not telling them, saying his solicitor had not informed him that he needed to.

He added that his actions has been “indefensible” and he had made “a poor, poor judgement call”.

However, he asked the licencing board to consider letting him keep his licence which they have the power to revoke, suspend or endorse.

Mr Black told the board that he was “dealing with the consequences of that evening still” and that in the long run it had “changed my life for the better”.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot left to offer the hospitality industry although I’m not currently working in it now,” he said.

He said he has a good track record in training and said he “feels like his experience can help others”.

“I also ran one of the most reputable pubs in the area, named the Wheatsheaf, with my father, for over 12 years. We always had a very good reputation – never any trouble, never any police.”

He said that he had undertaken the drink driving rehabilitation course and found it “extremely helpful”.

He told the board: “I’ve worked in hospitality since I was 16 and I’m now 32, so that’s pretty much half my life. It’s something I’m very passionate about.”

The board’s convener, Provost Robert Bissett, said: “You were working in the hospitality industry at the time as a general manager – a very responsible position and you’ve had the appropriate training, which is quite robust.

“It is a serious offence, drink driving, so we’ve taken all of these things into consideration. You’ve come across as quite frank and genuinely remorseful so I’m going to propose that we endorse your licence.”

After a vote, councillors agreed that an endorsement was an appropriate punishment.

If a licence holder accrues three endorsements, their licence will be revoked.