Early licence to let Fife golf club serve drink to American visitors

Balcomie Clubhouse, run by the Crail Golfing Society in Crail, was given the go-ahead to serve alcohol from 9.00am until 12.00pm Sundays to Thursday and 1.00am on Friday and Saturdays.

The society was founded in February 1786, and is the seventh oldest in the world. The clubhouse serves two courses, Balcomie and Craighead.

David Roy, manager at Crail Golfing Society, told a meeting of Fife Licensing Board on Monday: “Due to the sheer weight of numbers of people asking for a drink with breakfast before teeing off, we decided to apply for the licence.

“We’ve seen an increasing number of American visitors and on a daily basis have been asking for alcoholic drinks with breakfast before the 9.30am tee off time.”

You may also be interested in:

Police probe into serious Kirkcaldy crash

Rare pink rainbow over Fife

Police probe after boy shot in face in Fife town

But Sergeant Gordon Hood read a letter from Chief Constable Iain Livingstone,  hich outlined ther moved was against pliocy in Fife.

He said: “It’s not for a function or tournament, just to cater to American golfers. I would caution setting a precedent for other establishments to follow.”

Mr Roy said the increase was on the back of a boost in  golf tourism, adding: “It didn’t exist a few years ago, but recently tour operators have made it into a big business.”

Councillors agreed to grant the licence.

Emma O'Neill , Local Democracy Reporting Service