Police call for tougher rules after drinks industry resorts to 'irresponsible' happy hour deals to boost flagging sales

The voluntary code between the alcohol trade and licensing authorities banning happy hour deals and cheap offers has been broken in the wake of falling sales.

Around 57,000 pubs have stuck to the agreement on  promotions to cut down binge-drinking and anti-social behaviour drawn up by the British Beer and Pub Association in 2005.

'Responsible': Police want the Government to ensure the licensing trade always acts responsibly over happy hours and cheap deals

Last week, the association said it was going to scrap all happy hour deals and cheap set price 'all you can drink' offers.

But it has now withdrawn the code citing it may break European competition law.

It comes as beer sales have reached their lowest since the economic depression of the 1930s. Pubs are only pulling 14 million pints a day - 1.6 million fewer than last year.

Fears have been raised that an imminent alcohol price war to attract people to binge will lead to carnage on Britain's high streets this summer.

Police forces and alcohol charities are calling for the Government to step in and regulate price and promotion deals.

Chris Allison, the Association Chief Police Officer's lead on alcohol, said: 'Sadly the trade repeatedly shows that it cannot be relied upon to consistently act in a responsible way.

'It is now time for the Government to take some action against the trade and legislate to ensure that the licensing trade always acts responsibly.'

The code had banned deals that rewarded drinking large quantities of alcohol, drinking fast, entry fees that offer 'unlimited drinking' and promotions that women drink for free.

Some pubs and clubs have already started operating outside the association's code.

Britain's biggest nightclub operator - Luminar - has started advertising midweek deals with many drinks as low as 80 pence.

Alcohol Concern spokesman Frank Soodeen said: 'I think recent developments make it quite clear that the trade's commitment to responsible drinking can often be described as superficial as best.

'Successive reports have shown quite clearly that around the country a culture of complacency has set in, as voluntary codes have been shown to have no teeth.

'As we move towards the autumn we hope the Government will stand up to its promise to introduce more robust regulation.'

Last week, the Home Office welcomed a move by the British Beer and Pub Association after it announced that it would ban happy hour drinking.

A spokesman for the British Beer and Pub Association said it had been 'forced reluctantly, to withdraw our code after seeing new legal advice. We are currently seeking our own legal advice.'

The new legal advice is believed to have come from the Government Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

It warns that any actions on self regulation could be successfully challenged in a European court as a breach of competition law.