Witches and wizards in Glasgow have been granted permission to use alcohol in their potion-making classes.
Magicians at The Root of Magic on Hope Street secured a premises licence from the city’s Licensing Board on Friday.
Actors run potions lessons, with cocktails, from the venue, which can host up to 20 people. Children’s classes are also available.
Peter Lawson, representing the magic venue, said: “This is an unusual application, it’s the first time I’ve done an application like this.
“The Root of Magic is not only a retail unit, but also a cafe and it organises courses based on magic.
“They offer a course which is run and organised by trained actors who teach the participants how to make various magic potions.”
He added the potions, with some of them involving alcohol, are a “mixture of fruit juices, fruit and all the rest of it”, with some also including dry ice.
The Root of Magic, which opened just before the covid pandemic, previously ran classes under occasional licences.
Mr Lawson said one of the main concerns for the venue’s bosses was making “sure that when the classes are going on the participants do not use their very expensive wands, which come in at about £60 each, to stir the potions”.
He added: “They had the misfortune of opening up just four days before lockdown started, which didn’t do their business any good at all.
“The actors who take the classes are all dressed up and when you go into the course, you get what looks like a graduation gown."
The venue also got permission for deliveries, with customers able to order potions, and other magic memorabilia, online.
Mr Lawson said: “I would imagine it’s more fun doing the course on the premises than it is online, but if you organise and send for the packages it will come with full instruction of what you’re required to do.”
And SNP councillor Alex Wilson couldn’t resist a quip at Boris Johnson’s expense.
He said: “I would imagine these deliveries would be fantastic for parties etc.
“It sounds excellent and I’m quite sure our present Prime Minister would love to have these potions and the magic wand to make himself disappear.”
