Glasgow bars set to benefit from additional opening hours during cycling event

Pubs and restaurants in Glasgow will be able to stay open for an extra hour for 11 days in August during the UCI Cycling World Championships.

Glasgow’s Licensing Board has agreed to extend licensed hours for the event, which runs from August 3 to August 13.

The change will apply to all on-sales premises (where alcohol is sold for consumption in the venue) in the city and the decision to remain open will be for licence holders to make.

The world’s biggest cycling event will take place in Glasgow and across Scotland this summer, with over 8000 cyclists from more than 120 countries set to participate.

A report asking members of the city’s Licensing Board to decide whether to extend licensed hours during the championships was presented at a meeting today (May 12). The board is able to increase licensed hours “in connection with a special event of local or national significance”.

A spokesman for the board said: “The UCI Cycling World Championships will see the world’s greatest riders gather in Glasgow and Scotland to compete at the highest level.

“It is the first time all 13 world cycling championship disciplines will be combined into a single event and this will put Glasgow in the international spotlight during eleven days of competition.

“We will be welcoming competitors, officials and fans from around the world during the championships and there will be a vibrant atmosphere across the city during early August.

“Glasgow has a fantastic reputation for staging major, international events and we are confident Glasgow will again prove to be an excellent host.”

Venues do not need to apply to the council to receive the extension. When the United Nations climate conference COP26 was held in the city in 2021, licensed venues were also able to stay open for an extra hour.

In the report to Licensing Board members, officials stated: “The championships is expected to attract many competitors and tourists to the city of Glasgow to take part in or watch the various events during the period.”

They added the event “presents an opportunity for a vibrant ‘city’ feel to promote a successful championships and a successful host city”.