observer Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Seems this Government are "talking" about a minimum price for alcohol. So it seems we're all going to pay more, because of the antics binge drinkers, enjoying the benefits of "open all hours" Town Centres, drinking themselves stupid. Why not just re-introduce licencing hours and confine the sale of alcohol to "licenced" premises? It won't reduce drinking, anymore than the exorbitant tax reduces smoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Sale of alcohol is already confined to licenced premises???? But why the assumption that price determines, or even strongly influences, how much or what type of something people consume defeats me. Young problem drinkers do not buy the cheapest booze available. They're not drinking ?3 a bottle supermarket wine, they're drinking rounds of shots, alcopops and bottled beers at pub/club prices. They'll happily drop up to ?100 on a night out in town, often using caffeine drinks to keep them going well past their natural capacity. There's absolutely nothing in these proposals which will have any effect on binge drinking, just another attempt at social engineering through stealth taxation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Supermarkets are licensed premises....and there lies the problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Just take the licences off s/markets - but there's the rub - s/markets are a powerfull political lobby! There's always more than one way to skinn a cat: perhaps a levy on Town Centre "clubs" would force them to put their prices up for the "bingers" and provide some usefull revenue for the cash strapped Council?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Just take the licences off s/markets So a law abiding citizen who wants a bottle of wine for with a meal can't get one? What does that achieve? perhaps a levy on Town Centre "clubs" would force them to put their prices up for the "bingers" and provide some usefull revenue for the cash strapped Council?! How would the clubs differentiate between the bingers and the rest of their customers? and how much trouble will it cause when they try and charge some a higher price but not others? Drinkers already pay a substantial "levy" on every drink they buy, those who drink more pay more. The problem is one of poor licence enforcement and even poorer policing - it is, after all, illegal to serve alcohol to someone who is drunk, but when was the last time you heard of a licence being suspended or revoked for this offence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 First they came for the smokers I did not speak out as I was not a smoker Then they came for the drinkers I did not speak out as I was not a drinker Then they came for the "junk food" eaters I did not speak out as I was not a "junk food" eater Then they came for the motorists I did not speak out as I was not a motorist Then they came for me And there was no one left to speak out for me Anon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 EU rules mean that the government wouldn't be allowed to set a minimum price for alcoholic drinks as proposed by Donaldson. However there's nothing to stop them increasing the tax "in the interests of public health" a la tobacco tax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 wonder if that will apply to the house of commons bars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Don't be silly Sid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Inky - never heard of "an off licence" - they sell booze. As for clubs in Town, sure lots of "responsible" drinkers use them at 1am on a Saturday morning?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Inky - never heard of "an off licence" - they sell booze. As for clubs in Town, sure lots of "responsible" drinkers use them at 1am on a Saturday morning?! And if supermarkets lose the right to sell alcohol you will see a new string of Tesco/ASDA owned "off licences" spring up overnight and back to square one. They will not just walk away from what is a very lucrative part of their business. How about a scale of taxes for the time of purchase? After midnight double tax etc. ? It would be a pain for the clubs to administer I suppose but since when did this Government care about making more unpaid work for businesses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 i saw the news about it yesterdy and it was said that there should be a minimum 50p per unit. that meant that a bottle of cider that now cost about ?2.50 would be about ?11.00. on a pro rata basis it would mean that a pint of bitter (2 units according to a leaflet i have) should be ?1.00 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Inky - never heard of "an off licence" - they sell booze. An Off Licence is a retail outlet which is licenced to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonzodog Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 There's a very simple solution to those people who cause alcohol induced crime (& it's the same solution to most other types of crime) - arrest them, convict them, put them in jail for a very long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 If the liquor "licenses" are issued by the local Council/Magistrates - simple, provided they have the backbone and a plan, "outdooors" would be "limited", possibly to existing pub sites, which could help keep some pubs open (as we're currently losing 7 per day!) - sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 You won't stop people drinking by upping the price - even responsible people. Let's face it, the breath test proved a boon for taxi proprietors who now make the bulk of their income from running people home after they have consumed above the limit. Therefore, it would seem that people who are responsible enough not to drink and drive are prepared to pay over the odds for their pleasure (via the taxi fare) which probably adds more to the cost of each drink than any tax the government are likely to impose. If "responsible" people will pay extra to drink, don't expect irresponsible to worry about a few extra pounds. The answer is to set a minimum charge for "off" sales and ban "happy hour" type offers in pubs. Ban clubs altogether - particularly in Warrington town centre! Then you might get decent people returning to the town of an evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahl Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 this so called binge drinking has only come to the fore since the stupid labour government introduced 24 hour licencing. return to 11-11 pub hours with club licences till 0100 and a lot of this will disappear. so too will the lucrative tax on licencing clubs and the tax from drinks police overtime will reduce their need to scam more money from the council tax payer too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Here we go again!! Someone allowing their common sense to take over. This has to stop forthwith!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 The answer is to set a minimum charge for "off" sales and ban "happy hour" type offers in pubs. Good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 The answer is to set a minimum charge for "off" sales and ban "happy hour" type offers in pubs. Agree with the second part but the minimum charge would hit the moderate drinker surely? Instead of going to the off license to buy a bottle of wine for the weekend, I have to buy 6 bottles or alcohol to the value of the "minimum charge" therefore increasing the temptation to drink more as it is there! As has been said, arrest the drunks and idiots, charge them, convict them and jail them for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 In the new prison at Omega?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 No, the one that should be built up in the hebrides or some other god forsaken place which means the offender doesn't get visits and thus is less likely to want to go back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 OK, agreed: does that make me a Tory now or you a Socialist?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Neither... it makes us both very humble to have found a common ground Obs!! and anyway, I am too right wing to be a Tory!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 this so called binge drinking has only come to the fore since the stupid labour government introduced 24 hour licencing. THE Government introduced 24-hour drinking in the belief that it would significantly alter the nation?s drinking habits. The fact that the experiment has failed is not reason to say that it has caused binge drinking, the problem was already there. IMO alcohol should only be served in Pubs and clubs. Supermarkets should not be allowed to sell any alcohol and in particular cut price alcohol, which has not only helped to increase binge drinking but has also had a bearing on the number of pubs closing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.