A MEXICAN restaurant will be able to sell alcohol after councillors approved its licensing application.

Malcolm and Adam Binnie, from Habaneros, were at the local authority’s licensing committee last Thursday morning in Haddington.

Niall Hassard, representing the business, which is on Musselburgh High Street, told members: “Alcohol is ancillary to the food and there is a very limited range available, comprising five types of beer, two types of red wine and white wine and a frozen margarita.”

However, he stressed that the alcohol would be sold at restaurant prices and the business was not looking to sell alcohol on its own – instead, people who were looking to buy alcohol to take away from the premises would only be able to do so if they were also buying food.

The only other way customers would be able to take alcohol off the premises was if they were sitting in for a meal and did not finish a bottle of wine but wanted to take it away.

Council leader Willie Innes was pleased to welcome Habaneros to High Street, in a premises which was previously Brewed and Baked and before that the Burgh Bar.

He said: “There is nothing worse on a high street than empty shops.

“If you can avoid that it is always a good thing.”

“If you can avoid that it is always a good thing.”

Members unanimously approved the move to allow alcohol for on and off sales.