Recruiters should take the initiative in training candidates to comply with newlicensing legislation in Scotland that will affect any establishment that serves alcohol, according to Hazel Neill, managing director at Scottish hospitality recruiter Quality Link.

“The onus is on recruiters that are supplying temporary workers to provide access to the required training so the staff can go and work with the knowledge and understanding to deliver the job,” Neill told Recruiter.

The rules, effective from 1 September, require that anyone serving alcohol in licenced premises has two hours of responsible alcohol training, best practice, and responsibilities and liabilities in complying with laws governing the serving of alcohol. Previously, no such training was required.

All current licence holders must reapply for their licences and prove that their staff have been trained.

Quality Link began mandatory training of candidates to comply with the legislation six weeks ago.

Neill adds that candidates for restaurant jobs seem to have the misconception that the legislation is not going to apply to them. However,Quality Link trains all front of house staff candidates.

“Because of the time it takes, you cannot put in 50 staff and expect that the client is going to take the responsibility to train the staff. There has to be someone responsible that says this person is suitable and this person is not and I believe it is the agency that controls deedee dokethat. We have trained 180 staff so far,” she said.

Matthew Brown, senior hospitality consultant at ASA Recruitment, who also offer the two hours mandatory training to comply with the new legislation, told Recruiter that his clients have welcomed the initiative:

“The reception has been great. Our first major event is for a racecourse and they require 800 temporary staff so they have been massively affected.

But Bob Cotton, chief executive at the British Hospitality Association, fears that the 1 September deadline could be too soon. “Too few licensees have applied - partly because they are unaware of the need to re-apply,” he said.