Hebridean Brewery Company faces battle to avoid last orders under new alcohol laws

THE Outer Hebrides’ only brewery is facing a battle to avoid last orders after it was hit by new regulations.

Now the Hebridean Brewing Company – which runs the Stornoway bar The Edge O’ The World – has launched a crowdfunder to raise £140,000 to stabilise the business and fight the HMRC which has introduced a controversial scheme aimed at cracking down on the illegal wholesale of alcohol.

Director Tina Ribbens said: “In March 2017 HMRC introduced the Alcohol Wholesalers Registration Scheme.

“The intention was to stop the illegal import and wholesale of alcohol. But it seems to have been used to curtail small breweries and other small wholesalers”