Drinking hours
Britain is suffering an epidemic of alcohol-related problems with one in 20 people dependent on drink and as many at serious risk of liver disease, the Royal College of Physicians said on Monday.
Twenty-four-hour opening is expected to begin in November.
Government Response: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Richard Caborn, culture minister, said: "Life has changed. You don't just get alcohol now from those licensed premises.
"We will give police, councils and other enforcement agencies more powers to deal with those acting irresponsibly in the licensed trade. Alongside that we will have an educational programme."
Stakeholder Response: Royal College of Physicians
Professor Ian Gilmore, chairman of the RCP alcohol committee, said: "We are facing an epidemic of alcohol-related harm and to extend the licensing hours flies in the face of common sense as well as the evidence from other countries.
"Plans to stagger the times that pubs closed to reduce the numbers of people turning out on to the streets at one time was an attempt to manage drunkenness rather than prevent it.
"The college believes reducing the availability of alcohol and increasing the price is the way forward but this is unpalatable for politicians.
"From next month pubs and clubs will be able to apply to local councils to extend hours to all day and night. Twenty-four-hour opening is expected to begin in November.
"Supporters of 24-hour opening say it will lead to a continental way of drinking and reduce the binge culture. But Prof Gilmore said it was 'fanciful' to think Britain could become a Mediterranean-style wine sipping, non-binge drinking culture, by licensing regulations. Experience abroad showed that longer opening hours led to more violence."
"We must think about regulation."
Stakeholder Response: Bar, Entertainment and Dance Association
A spokesman for BEDA said: "The Royal College of Physicians are only the latest in a growing list of organisations to have voiced concern over the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003, which brings with it the possibility of longer licensing hours.
"BEDA has long warned against the automatic assumption, oft repeated by DCMS, that an extension in trading hours will bring automatic public order benefits. However, neither can it be assumed that the new Act will lead to increased alcohol related disorder.
"The truth is that the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 depends almost entirely on how the legislation is used locally.
"Those councils that issue extended hours to venues not geared up to meet the demands of the late night market will experience problems. Similarly, those authorities that fail to use the Act to develop a clear and cohesive approach to managing their town and city centres will see increased disorder.
"That said, the new powers available to local authorities under the Act and the requirement that they develop a statement of licensing policy mean that we have a tremendous opportunity to develop a coherent approach to the development of our town and city centres – many of which are currently suffering from over-expansion in the late 1990s.
"We will all benefit if councils and police adopt a more interventionist, intelligence-led approach. By cracking down on rogue operators (as in Westminster), helping poor venues to improve (Manchester) and introducing special policies on saturation (Birmingham), regulators can give responsible operators a better trading environment where they are not undercut by irresponsible promotions and good customers are not scared back to the suburbs.
"In addition, there is a host of good practice available to operators, councils and the police who wish to work in partnership to deliver extended hours and safer town and city centres.
"Well managed areas, employing CCTV, street lighting, training, social marketing and, most importantly, sufficient public transport services will reduce levels of alcohol related disorder – as has been the case in Manchester, Bedford, St Albans and other areas.
"The new Act can prove to be a win-win delivering increased leisure opportunities and reduced disorder – but only if councils take a lead, develop a strategic vision for their area and engage the trade and police."
Stakeholder Response: British National Temperance League
Barbara Briggs, CEO of BNTL said: "We at BNTL feel that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that 24 hour opening hours would reduce or prevent binge drinking. A National Opinion Poll was carried out in January 2000 on behalf of the Institute of Alcohol Studies and this found that 59per cent of the population say “it is a bad thing to extend drinking hours at night” and over the limit drinkers are twice as likely as ‘sensible drinkers’ to say that they intend to make use of any extra drinking hours.
"In its’ naïve way the government looks at Europe where night life centres around civilised restaurants and fondly imagines deregulation will turn Britain into a similarly pleasant café society.
"The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has major concerns with the relaxation of the licensing laws. Mr Chris Allison spokesman for the ACPO said that there were “significant” implications for the police workload. “Officers will have to be diverted from other policing priorities and activities to undertake enforcement activity against those who are drunk and disorderly
"Staff in Accident and Emergency Departments are also already over-subscribed and under pressure to treat the people who are presenting at hospitals up and down the country. Last year, a report produced for the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit estimated that treating illness and injuries caused by alcohol cost the National Health Service £1.7 billion a year
"BNTL has voiced this and many other concerns regarding the modernisation of our licensing laws to the previous Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon MP David Blunkett who replied saying that “our concerns were noted”.
"With the recent appointment of a new Home Secretary, Rt. Hon MP Charles Clarke, it is BNTL’s intention to continue to raise these concerns before major figures in the political world in a bid to try and alert the government to the list of potential problems that are associated with relaxing the licensing laws and moving towards a 24 hour drinking culture."
Stakeholder Response: Alcohol Concern
Geethika Jayatilika, director of Policy and Public Affairs at Alcohol Concern, said: "In theory, the aims behind the Licensing Act are worthy - reducing crime and disorder and tackling the binge drinking culture - but at its heart the licensing Act is a de-regulatory act. In practice, given the
"It is entirely appropriate for local licensing decisions to be transferred from magistrates to local authorities as they have a duty to prevent crime and disorder in their areas. However, the provisions of the Act and the accompanying government guidance severely hamper their ability to manage the night-time economy. Under the new Act it is very difficult for local authorities to make objections to a license application and few authorities can match the legal might of drinks companies in the courts when it comes to defending licensing decisions.
"The national alcohol strategy for
"The Licensing Act was drawn up prior to national alcohol strategy and so the government needs to re-consider the impact that the new licensing provisions will have on their commitment to tackling alcohol related crime and disorder and to reducing health harms caused by excess drinking. "
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