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MP's to call time on happy hour
- Thread starter champion7
- Start date
hitony
Administrator
I can't see that stopping happy hours around the country will prevent people drinking in the streets (as i witnessed yesterday morning in Bridgend Town centre)
Stopping cheap booze will not do anything either, in my opinion and certainly for starters, the outlets selling the alcohol to minors should be made more responsible for selling to under age youths, more checks should be asked for regarding proof, I accept you will never stop it as some are of age and will just purchase it for the minors, but it is a start.
The figures i saw on TV this morning regarding the under age drunks that are admitted into hospital per year, are far more than worrying, what about the number that don't get taken to hospital ? i think the true figures of under age drinkers is probably ten fold (probably more!!) to the numbers given this morning.
I think it has become a major problem around the towns and citys of this country, please don't get me wrong, I like a pint more than most, and yes i was young and yes i did have the odd pint when i was under age, but I do not believe that the problem (if there was a real problem) was there back in the early to mid 70s, comparible as it is today
Stopping cheap booze will not do anything either, in my opinion and certainly for starters, the outlets selling the alcohol to minors should be made more responsible for selling to under age youths, more checks should be asked for regarding proof, I accept you will never stop it as some are of age and will just purchase it for the minors, but it is a start.
The figures i saw on TV this morning regarding the under age drunks that are admitted into hospital per year, are far more than worrying, what about the number that don't get taken to hospital ? i think the true figures of under age drinkers is probably ten fold (probably more!!) to the numbers given this morning.
I think it has become a major problem around the towns and citys of this country, please don't get me wrong, I like a pint more than most, and yes i was young and yes i did have the odd pint when i was under age, but I do not believe that the problem (if there was a real problem) was there back in the early to mid 70s, comparible as it is today
sten_super
Brain Surgeon
I don't agree hitony, I think stopping cheap booze is a key move. Anything which reduces the ease of access to alcohol is a good thing. Tbh in my opinion for too long now policy has concentrated on limiting pubs, when supermarkets (and, to a lesser degree, off licenses) selling alcohol at ridiculously low prices is probably THE major factor.
I think the problems are a result of a mixture of the continued heavy drinking culture that is so pervasive in Britain allied to the seeming change in 'normal' behaviour from teenagers. Whereas (at least in places where I've been out) people generally used to go out, get wasted and have a good time, then go home, there are too many (generally, but not exclusively) young people who get drunk and act in a violent and/or stupid manner.
I think the problems are a result of a mixture of the continued heavy drinking culture that is so pervasive in Britain allied to the seeming change in 'normal' behaviour from teenagers. Whereas (at least in places where I've been out) people generally used to go out, get wasted and have a good time, then go home, there are too many (generally, but not exclusively) young people who get drunk and act in a violent and/or stupid manner.
I think hitony is right.
My sister used to work as a 'buyer' for Trading Standards when she was 15. Basically she would go into a shop and try to purchase alcohol, a trading standards officer would follow her in and act as a witness. If asked her age, she would have to tell the truth.
She got sold alcohol almost every time. They need to make it harder for kids to get alcohol. In Florida everyone gets ID'ed regardless of age (I had a chuckle watching my 58 year old Dad get asked for ID) - maybe this approach should be implemented in Britain.
Another problem is the fact that the government are obsessed with deals in pubs and forgetting supermarkets - I know from experience that if you want a cheap night out, you go to asda, buy a load of drink and get wasted before leaving the house. If the prices in pubs were a tad lower, maybe young people (such as myself) would stop getting wasted before leaving the house to avoid the stupid prices in many bars/clubs. It isn't about stopping cheap booze - it is more about encouraging people not to get wasted in order to save money.
My sister used to work as a 'buyer' for Trading Standards when she was 15. Basically she would go into a shop and try to purchase alcohol, a trading standards officer would follow her in and act as a witness. If asked her age, she would have to tell the truth.
She got sold alcohol almost every time. They need to make it harder for kids to get alcohol. In Florida everyone gets ID'ed regardless of age (I had a chuckle watching my 58 year old Dad get asked for ID) - maybe this approach should be implemented in Britain.
Another problem is the fact that the government are obsessed with deals in pubs and forgetting supermarkets - I know from experience that if you want a cheap night out, you go to asda, buy a load of drink and get wasted before leaving the house. If the prices in pubs were a tad lower, maybe young people (such as myself) would stop getting wasted before leaving the house to avoid the stupid prices in many bars/clubs. It isn't about stopping cheap booze - it is more about encouraging people not to get wasted in order to save money.
TWOCHOICEStom
Well-known member
You speak of this... "Happy Hour"....
I'll be honest, I've not been to a pub at happy hour.. EVER! and I've been a student... So it's not that much of a problem.
I'll be honest, I've not been to a pub at happy hour.. EVER! and I've been a student... So it's not that much of a problem.
hitony
Administrator
Good opinion Sten,
but the way I am seeing it is, how much will they have to put the price up to, so it prevents under age drinking ? adding what would amount to a few pence per can, on a slab of Lager / Ciders for exapmle, in my opinion would not resolve the issue, I think the price would have to be hiked up so much, the products would become unaffordable to the ordinary working man, which then would start off another issue with the outlets / brewers, where if they can't sell the product, it will just cause more unemployment along the line, like it's not as if there are'nt enough pubs closing on a daily basis as it is (possibly another debate aside of this one i grant you that) Just a question, but are you involved in the pub trade by any chance ? 2 of my best mates have pubs up here in South Wales, and they quite obviously agree with supermarkets and off licences having more restrictions, Yes the drinking culture has without doubt changed over the years, but when you think back (obviously not sure of your age) drink was very cheap back in the 60s & 70s it was very affordable anyway, the same culture that exists today was definatly not there then.
I am not changing the subject, but i really do think that one of the contributing factors is the change in lifestyle for youngters nowadays, there is very little for them to do nowadays, hence the hanging round street corners scenario, no boys clubs etc, this in my experiance is down to the fact no one wants to be responsible for them anymore because of the stupid claim culture we now live in, and insurances and Health & safety criteria is so much, most just can't be bothered anymore.
Personally I blame Esther Ransen and the rest of the PC brigade, also of course modern technology, electronic games, computers etc etc, have made alot of kids differant to how i remember it.
Maybe I am just getting old
Anyway, I like getting drunk, getting thrown out of a club for groping the barmaid, throwing up in the street, having a kebab, pooing in an alleyway and than getting in a fight.
I demand cheaper booze for all 23 year olds, that live in Wolverhampton and have boring 9-to-5 jobs. We deserve it!
I demand cheaper booze for all 23 year olds, that live in Wolverhampton and have boring 9-to-5 jobs. We deserve it!
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hitony
Administrator
Curious Orange
Punxsatawney Phil
How much regulation of people's behaviour does this government want. Surely rather than banning x, y, and z, it'd be better to actually tackle the underlying problems - which in this case isn't really happy hours or cheap booze in off licences, it is under-age usage, and the attitudes of people who should know better. Education folks. Education.
I actually have a suspicion that the growth in the amount of drunken women since the 90's may well be a contributing factor that may be being conveniently overlooked.
I actually have a suspicion that the growth in the amount of drunken women since the 90's may well be a contributing factor that may be being conveniently overlooked.
hitony
Administrator
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,715
The facts are that booze in supermarkets is even cheaper in France, yet they don't have anything like the anti-social problems we have in the UK.
The government will be pissing in the wind if they legislate to raise supermarket prices of booze in the UK because people will resume the "booze cruises" of yesteryear that were prevalent before the decrease in prices.
I agree that, once again, the root of the problem is bad parenting, but there is now a real cultural problem with booze, where being pissed and seen in clubs is cool. The Flintoff pedalo incident, or him and Pietersen post-Ashes 2005 spring to mind, and all of the leading England football captain contenders are club regulars.
The government will be pissing in the wind if they legislate to raise supermarket prices of booze in the UK because people will resume the "booze cruises" of yesteryear that were prevalent before the decrease in prices.
I agree that, once again, the root of the problem is bad parenting, but there is now a real cultural problem with booze, where being pissed and seen in clubs is cool. The Flintoff pedalo incident, or him and Pietersen post-Ashes 2005 spring to mind, and all of the leading England football captain contenders are club regulars.
Hatterlovesbrighton
something clever
To note this isn't the Government suggesting this, but a group of MP's.
I don't think restricting supply is the solution. Kids that want to drink alcohol will drink, whether they buy it from off-licences, steal it from their parents, or make it (happened all the time in the 60s and 70s apparently and often led to trips to hospital). The problem as ever is a lack of effective parenting.
I think the problem is more 18-30's that get tanked up on alcohol before they go out, have a few drinks in the pub and then get in fights. You should be encouraging people to drink more in bars than at home and the only way you can effecively do that is to reduce taxation on alcohol sold in pubs.
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,715
This was the subject on the 5Live phone-in this morning, and one publican rang in to say a huge problem for him is younger customers bringing in cheap booze purchased from the 2 Tesco Express supermarkets a short distance from his pub.
Specifically, cheap bottles of vodka were somehow being smuggled in past his doormen, so cokes could be topped up once inside. The other problem is kids getting tanked on supermarket booze then only going into the pubs once fuelled.
Specifically, cheap bottles of vodka were somehow being smuggled in past his doormen, so cokes could be topped up once inside. The other problem is kids getting tanked on supermarket booze then only going into the pubs once fuelled.
Cian
Well-known member
Banned here, impact is that beer promotions now last ALL NIGHT. Cue even more cheap drinking!
BensGrandad
New member
The government have been trying to do this f.or the past 10 years but have beeen unable as any action to prevent happy hours comes under the restrictive practices legislation so that would have to be altered as well. This legislation was brought in to combat the price maintainence legislation that allowed companies to put a minimum sale price on their goods
Dick Knights Mumm
Take me Home Falmer Road
Does the House of Commons still have subsidised bars ?