Moray District Licensed Trade Association

MDLTA was formed in 1892 when a representative of the national body the Wine ,Spirit and Beer Trade Defence Association, now Scottish Licensed Trade Association, attended a meeting of local traders and persuaded them to form their own association affiliated to the national body. Because the temperance party were so energetic both in the House of Commons and otherwise the traders showed no resistance in joining and the Elgin License-Holders' Defence Association was founded. Through time membership spread to the whole of Moray hence we are now called Moray District Licensed Trade Association.

In its present form we are an association dedicated to looking after the interests of 120 plus members who are directly involved with the selling of alcohol. The majority of members are On Trade i.e hoteliers publicans etc. but we do have a few Off Sales members in particular grocers. The Association is headed by its President,Vice President and Junior Vice President and a Board of 12 Ordinary Directors. We do not need to be wary of the temperance party nowadays but there are issues relevant to today's businesses that we have to be prepared for and sometimes argue against for the sake of the Trade.

Fortunately we have always had an excellent working relationship with the Licensing Board and its Legal department and the Police. Always wary of the health and safety of our customers and staff a Pub Watch has evolved over the last few years and is of great benefit to trade members the Public and Police.

We have been involved through SLTA in the consultation process in preparation for the 2005 act. We have also worked closely with Moray Council in its preparation of the Policy Guidelines and have sorted out some contentious points.

We are now approaching fruition time of the transition period and I can only hope that my words of last year quoted in a local paper " in five or six years time we will all wonder what the fuss was about" will come true in spite of the extra  massive expense and worry it is causing the Trade in the meantime.