Police chief calls for late pubs to 'pay for detox' as teens 'drink themselves into oblivion'

Pubs and shops which sell alcohol late into the night should pick up the bill for the consequences, a chief constable said yesterday.

Sir Norman Bettison made the call as he warned that large numbers of youngsters are "drinking themselves into oblivion" in the aftermath of Labour's controversial licensing reforms.

He said the extra cash raised from late-opening premises - which he compared to other 'polluters' of society - could pay for more policing and detox centres for bingedrinking youngsters.

Sir Norman also called for an end to cheap alcohol promotions, such as two-for-one offers, which have been widely blamed for the latenight drunken mayhem witnessed in many town centres. The West

Yorkshire police chief's remarks will be read with interest by Downing Street, which has ordered a review of 24-hour opening.

Reports from the Home Office and Department for Culture are due to be published next year on the impact of the move, which has led to more than 5,000 pubs, bars and shops opening round the clock.

Gordon Brown is expected to respond by banning shops selling alcohol after 11pm. But experts have warned this would not stop youngsters from switching to lateopening pubs.

Sir Norman's suggestion of charging such pubs and clubs extra money presents a further option for Number 10 to consider, even if it would be fiercely resisted by the brewing industry.

The chief constable - who saw the alcohol-fuelled consequences of lateopening for himself recently when he joined officers on a night patrol in Leeds - believes cheap booze offers and lengthy opening hours are contributing to excessive drinking.

He said: "Some young people are drinking themselves into oblivion, often using a cocktail of drink and drugs to get themselves into an almost unconscious state. What is happening raises a host of health, societal and policing issues."

He added: "No irresponsible promotions please, no two-for-the-priceof-one."

Sir Norman will tell a safe drinking conference in Leeds today that late- opening licensed premises might contribute towards safe detox facilities for those who have had too much.

"The 'polluters' as in other aspects of society should pay for the consequences of their business," he said.

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Ministers forced through 24-hour opening in November 2005 despite a barrage of protests from police, medics and the judiciary highlighted in a campaign led by the Daily Mail.

The measure has led to a surge in callouts of ambulance staff, a spike in violent attacks in the early hours and warnings that increasing numbers of youngsters are being admitted to hospital with liver complaints.

Police say their resources are being badly stretched by the need to have officers on the beat throughout the night, leaving fewer on patrol during daylight hours.

Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation which represents more than 120,000 officers, said: "Our role has been made more difficult as a consequence of an increase in alcohol-related incidents and we would welcome and support a review of 24-hour licensing."

The number of premises staying open round the clock has risen by 70 per cent, from 3,000 to 5,100, in a year.

Last night, the British Beer and Pub Association sought to play down the impact of the changes.

The organisation published the results of a YouGov survey saying 78 per cent of drinkers consume the same amount of alcohol now as they did two years ago.

The association said 51 per cent of the 1,840 respondents were opposed to the 10 per cent hike in alcohol tax proposed by the newly-formed Alcohol Health Alliance coalition.