A former policing minister has said city centre nightclubs and pubs should pay towards the cost of controlling alcohol-fuelled crime and anti-social behaviour.

In a speech to an Institute of Licensing conference on Monday, John Denham said it was right that firms that help fuel the problem should contribute to police force funding with a small levy.

"Binge drinking" has become an increasing problem in town centres in recent years and the chairman of the Commons home affairs committee said it was time to look at new ways of solving it.

He argued his suggestion would encourage license holders to act responsibly and go a significant way towards meeting costs which can reach £1 million per year for policing provincial towns on a Saturday night.

"Business activities that, by their nature, give rise to certain types of crime should make a greater contribution to towards the cost of policing," Denham said.

"That principle should apply to the city centre clubs that fuel so much binge drinking and alcohol-related crime."

"It's not just the worst run premises that are the problem, he added.

"It's the simple fact of so many premises tipping so many drunken people onto the streets that absorbs huge police costs.

"In practice, competition means that a levy would largely be absorbed by the pub companies.

"But in any case, there is every reason to believe it would be popular with drinkers. No one wants to be punched in the taxi queue at the end of a night out. Young people on a night out find the police and community safety officers reassuring too."