Neighbours raise fears of 'drunken carousing' at distillery

A distillery in a converted school building in the south of Scotland has been granted a new alcohol licence despite a string of objections from neighbours.

The Dark Art Distillery at the former Johnston Primary in Kirkcudbright has operated since 2021 using 14-day occasional licences but it applied for permanent permission to sell drink on site until midnight or 01:00 for special functions.

People nearby - including at the planetarium in the same building - objected, with one citing the risk of "drunken adults carousing until midnight and beyond".

The licensing board agreed to grant the licence subject to two conditions.

All live music should stop before midnight and people should leave the outside drinking area by 22:00.

The board said the conditions were necessary to "secure public safety and prevent public nuisance".

The distillery makes gin, vodka and Scotland's first agave spirit - using the same process and ingredients as tequila.

It occupies the same building as other visitor attractions, including the Dark Space Planetarium and The Wee Pottery.

Kirkcudbright Youth Project also operates regular youth groups and activities in the premises.

After using occasional licences for several years, the distillery wants to be licensed for off-sales between 10:00 and 22:00 with on-site sales from 10:30 to midnight or 01:00 for approved functions.

The distillery said it usually shut at 15:00 on most days but the move would allow flexibility for larger pre-booked tours, tastings and special events.

"The applicant has confirmed that these later hours would be used infrequently and only where demand requires," a report stressed.

However, a number of objections were lodged at the "unacceptable noise" already coming from the building.

"The evenings are already particularly bad but we know they will be over by 22:00 hours at least," said one submission.

"The thought of drunken adults carousing until midnight and beyond doesn't bear thinking about, particularly as we have no police presence in the town."

Another said it would have a "detrimental impact on residents, public safety, community well-being, and the area's residential character".

Concerns were also raised about parking and plans to show televised sporting events.

"Supporters of team sports are hardly the quietest of members of society after drink," noted one resident.

The manager of the nearby planetarium also raised concerns.

"Our charity's main concern is the proximity of proposed extended distillery operations to children and vulnerable adults already using the building daily," she said.

She said that made the plans feel "highly inappropriate".