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MPs call for ban on happy hours
Anna Davis10 Nov 2008
A PUB with a £10 "all you can drink" night was today attacked by health campaigners for encouraging binge drinking, as MPs called for a total ban on happy hours.
About 150 people flocked to the Redback Tavern in Acton last night to take advantage of its two-hour cheap alcohol offer.
But the Australian-themed pub faced heavy criticism as MPs attacked the move and called for a ban on cut-price alcohol.
The home affairs select committee urged ministers to clamp down on irresponsible bars and pubs. They found the "whole focus" of police resources was in targeting drink-fuelled and football violence, meaning officers were "hitting their targets but missing the point".
Chairman Keith Vaz said: "We cannot have on one hand a world of alcohol promotions for profit that fuels surges of crime and disorder, and on the other the police diverting all their resources to cope with it." He also called for previously voluntary codes of conduct for the drinks industry to be legally enforceable.
The Redback's offer highlighted concerns over the ease with which cheap alcohol is being sold. Lib-Dem culture spokesman Don Foster said: "This offer is ludicrously irresponsible. Binge drinking costs the nation £25 billion in hospital admissions, days off work, premature death and metal health problems."
Customers who took part in the Acton event paid £10 for a half pint cup, which they could then fill with a choice of beer, cider, spirits and mixers between 5pm and 7pm. Manager Andy Laloli, who came up with the promotional idea, insisted the pub was not encouraging binge drinking.
He said: "Times are tough and everyone wants to stretch the pound as far as they can. People can go and buy a pack of beer for £5 in the supermarket, and the shop's responsibility ends there. But we can offer a promotion that we are responsible for."
To save money using the offer, customers would have to drink at least four spirits in two hours. The night, which has been running every Sunday for four weeks, is not advertised and customers hear about it through word of mouth.
Jacinda O'Sullivan, 29, celebrating her birthday at the event, said: "On a Sunday everyone knows they have to get up in the morning so they are not going mad."
A medical student, 27, from Acton, who did not want to be named, said: "£10 to drink as much as you want is a bargain - you can get wasted in a couple of hours."
DJ Nic Wilmans, 35, said: "This pub is brilliant - everyone knows your name and the staff are all friendly, that is why it is so popular. When the credit crunch comes people want to forget about it. People who have a long weekend can come here and get trashed and feel at home."
Michelle Collins, 27, a personal trainer from Acton, said: "I don't think the pub encourages binge drinking - most of us are travelling from Australia and South Africa and New Zealand, and we don't have a lot of money. So we have to make the most of things like this."
Reader views (11)
Because of relatively high tax and duty, alcohol continues to be more expensive in the UK than in many countries - which is why many Britons head over to France to buy it more cheaply. Other countries do not seem to have nearly as much of a binge drinking/alcohol fuelled anti social behaviour problem as we do - so alcohol pricing is not the main issue. Raising prices penalises responsible drinkers (the majority I believe) as well as drunken louts. What is needed is for existing laws (being drunk and disorderly is a crime still) to be enforced and for magistrates to impose more punitive penalties. An overnight stay in a police cell followed by a substantial fine or short prison sentence would address the issue pretty effectively.
- John, london, 11/11/2008 11:37
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"But we sadly need the nanny state to look after the vast majority who are incapable or unwilling to act responsibly even when it's in their best long-term (and often short-term) interest." Ermm, actually, Robert N, the 'vast majority' don't go out and get slaughtered every night. The 'vast majority' can enjoy the occasional drink, even occasionally get a bit tipsy, without tearing up the high strteet. Why should we have to pay for more just because of a few idiots?
- Paul, London, 11/11/2008 10:43
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No doubt the drinks industry will cry into their beer annd tell us that they are going to suffer financial ruin and have to lay off staff just as the economy is going into free-fall. The cost of this is minor compared to the damage that alcohol inflicts on society, as your article mantions. If the industry were responsible enough to properly enforce the existing regulations, and the average person could be trusted to drink sensibly, we could leave well alone. But we sadly need the nanny state to look after the vast majority who are incapable or unwilling to act responsibly even when it's in their best long-term (and often short-term) interest.
- Robert N, London, 10/11/2008 18:39
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What makes me laugh is that most of the "happy hour" bars rarely have sufficient staff on to meet the demand so you usually end up drinking about the same amount anyhow, but slightly more cheaply. Then miraculously at 7pm or whenever happy hours) finish more staff suddenly appear!
What's wrong with bars etc. offering cheap drinks, there are laws that should stop them selling to people who are obviously three sheets to the wind, so where's the problem. There's plenty of places to get cheap booze.
- Mark, South-East London, 10/11/2008 15:28
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More typical clap-trap from our beloved elected representatives. I am just waiting for a complete ban on alcohol and a new law that we must all be locked in our homes by 10pm each night. The way things are going in this country it is enough to drive everyone to drink!!
- John David, London, 10/11/2008 13:13
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Let's face it most Brits can't handle drink, what ever price you charge for it!
- Carol, London, England, 10/11/2008 12:58
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Let's not forget our friends in Parliament. Not only do they have their bars that stay open when ours shut, but they are also asking for a rise of £13k a year so that every hour will be a happy hour for them.
- Andrew Other, manchester, 10/11/2008 12:50
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MPs. First close down the cheap as chips heavily subsidised bars in the House of Commons and ban smoking there and even then keep your nose out of how people want to run their pubs within the law.
- Squiz, Islington, 10/11/2008 12:42
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Good idea the Government has got rid of the smokers from pubs and now it is only fair to get rid of the drinkers.
So what will pubs become coffee drinking internet cafes ?
By banning smoking millions do not frequent pubs and the ones that do stand outside more than in breaking up all socialising.
Does this government want to breed an obese anti social country all eating junk infront of a PC on Facebook or some such site.
Conversation is dying as are the pubs !
- Sally Smith, london,united kingdom, 10/11/2008 12:40
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Why target a pub frequented by filthy hippy backpacker traveller scum (as I affectionately call them)? Shouldn't we be concentrating on our own young people's livers first and foremost?
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 10/11/2008 12:08
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I pressume then that MP's (as ever) will lead the way by banning all the cheap alcohol and cigerattes in the houses of parliament as a an example to the tax paying public.
- Stuart, london, 10/11/2008 11:04
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