• New: Girls' bar offers break from boozy City boys

Reader views (19)

 Add your view

Unfortunately this has nothing to do with the price of alcohol. This does however, have a lot to do with the ridiculous drinking hours we have had to endure since the first World War (The Defence of the Realm Act, 1914). These restrictions stipulated that a pub could only open between 12pm and 2:40pm, and 6:30pm to 9:30pm. They did not really change very much in the interim years. 11pm closing was the best you could do for decades.

Because of this, and very much unlike Europe where they were treated like adults, we have had generations of binge drinkers. Rushing to get the last couple of pints before the bell went at 11pm has been a British tradition for donkeys'.

To eventually bring in some grown up licensing hours means it is now going to take another generation to adapt and treat alcohol with respect and not as a means to an end. It takes several miles to turn an oil tanker, it will certainly take a generation or two to turn our society's drinking habits around.

That, coupled with an ineffective government who has turned it's back on the indigenous majority populace of this land. A majority who are too afraid to wave the flag in case some minority is offended.

You are not allowed to have self pride, self respect or be an individual under a corrupt Totalitarian regime.

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

I concur wholeheartedly with Evan from Leeds but would add that the findings are no doubt due to Londoners being more literate than Northerners, therefore we keep better records of the drunken naughtyness!

- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx

I think to culture of drinking in England came about when people drank beer and fortified wine etc because it was much cleaner/safer than drinking water. Also, a century or two later, racing to meet 3pm and 11pm closing times didn't help.
However, drinking is not necessarily the whole problem but lack of food is a huge factor. Many of the weekday binge drinkers come straight out of work at 5pm and start drinking on an empty stomach. They feel empty (hungry) and drink more to fill the void. They get so drunk they end up staying out far later than they might normally. In other countries bar food is available (usually free) or at least affordable. It's amazing how quickly a bit of food can sober you up. I always seem to drink a lot less and more sensibly when I've eaten.
Also many pubs have a culture of encouraging you to drink alcohol (the brewery's products especially) and make soft drinks very expensive. Remember the days of the tiny and very expensive bottles of Britvic orange juice? And, unlike foreign cafes, coffee, water etc are frowned upon in many pubs.
Another problem is the tradition of buying rounds, which encourages everyone to drink at the same pace as the fastest drinker. Some people (the piss heads amongst us) almost stand over you hassling you to drink up and get the next round in.
The strength of some beer is also deceptive, and should be priced accordingly. I can drink Carlsberg/Carling all day but just can't drink it fast enough to get really drunk!

- S Robertson,, London

Romanticising the situation in other countries is naive, look at health stats and you'll see that the French and their livers are in big trouble. Driving drunk is the norm too.
Again check out the road death stats if you don't believe me.

- Madmax, London, UK

People are drinking to drown their sorrows. Lots of young people in London can't afford to rent their own home, let alone buy one. They have to live in stressful houseshares or grotty bedsits. Finding and keeping a good job is also very hard. At the same time we constantly hear about the talentless celebrities and selfish bankers being paid ridiculous salaries which only adds to the stress. No wonder young people are getting drunk so much.

- Martin, London UK

This is nothing to do with the availability or price of alcohol. This is a social failure compounded by an education system which doesn't teach either respect, or self respect.

We are in the midst of another puritanical temperance movement, which will see us eventually adopt the restrictive Swedish model. The government seems intent on interfering with every aspect of our lives, but I for one am yet to see any improvements. Again tackling the symptoms of problems, not the causes.

So yet again, the government approach to a social problem will coincidentally be one which will see tax increases...for our own sakes, of course. Nanny Knows Best.

- S Luker, London, N1

I find this very difficult to believe as I live in Leeds and travel frequently to London where my daughter lives (in Camden) and quite frankly i'm not denying that there are drunks etc in London but Leeds and Bradford are much worse. I have never had a problem moving around London ib the evening or weekend using buses, tube or walking but in Yorkshire after 7pm (4pm on Saturdays in Leeds) decent people do not want to be in Leeds owing to the drunks and its not kids it is 40 somethings+ male and female who are just out of their heads and looking for trouble.

- Evan, leeds

Its not the Drink! many countries have cheaper drink than the UK.Its the British themselves!The British boring yobish ignorant destructive mentality,you can spot a Brit in any country from a mile away,just look at the immature insecure swagger,the almost child like dress sense,the boorish lads together ego,(lads together will be in there 40s!)I really don't know the answer apart from the destruction of the British,but maybe there in lies the answer,we are all on the road to self destruction,the British unbeknown to themselves are exhibiting classic signs of self destructive behaviour and have been for years.When will you wake up!When will you once again taste the joys of self respect,when will we start to feed this unto are young so they might just stop and think before committing even more deadly expressions of self loathing!Ps im as British as they come,But im proud to be British and i try to exemplify all that is good in British culture,and that does not included falling about drunk and being loud and mouthy etc.But then im not ashamed and i don't loath myself and as a result i don't find the need to indulge in self destructive behaviour.

- Kev, London-UK

No big surprise being the biggest city in the UK by a country mile

- Paul, Ealing

Quite simple really, treat drinkers the same as drivers. If you are caught as part of an alcohol related crime you get an instant £500 fine, if you go to hospital with a drink induced injury (A&E on Saurday's are full) then you get a £1000 bill to cover the cost.

An additional alcohol tax just penalises everyone whereas strict fines.

I'm sure that the potential cost of a £1500 Friday nights binge might make those Asda Barcardi Breezers look a considerably more pricey.

- Hansel, London

I live in South London and work in Central London. I do not know of a single place that has 24 hour drinking apart from nightclubs.

- Serox, London

Actually it is 'Simples' but the remedy is not higher taxation. Booze is very cheap in France, but do you ever see kids splayed all over the street there? Never - because France is a civilized country where alcohol is something you have with food.

The real remedy is to stop all the 24 hour nonsense - it is not suitable for the UK - and force those who use hospital services when drunk, to pay for them.

- Liz, London,UK

I agree 24 hours is not the cause, just people who choose to drink & be violent instead of being merry. The same behaviour happens aboard too, but they tend to be more violent of here (due to being on home soil). The law should look at how affective the punishment is for these drunken violent fools, as its person doing it not hours given to drink alcohol causing problems.

- Janice, London

Make alcohol more expensive and put the minimum age for purchase up to 21. Enforce licensing regulations with an immediate loss of license for those caught selling it to those under age. All off sales to be through government controlled outlets and special pleading by the supermarkets (which aggressively grow their alcohol sales in the most deprived areas) to be ignored. Simples.

- Peter Haldane, Chelmsford

NO Police on our streets until after crime or incident occurs.

- Mike,, London

Legalise weed & try and pull some people away from binge drinking.

- Dom, london

Just come out of my posh club last night after a heavy session and fell into my limo. Tax those dreadful lager and alcopops as long as they don't tax my champers.
New Labour and Tories-always good at raising taxes for the lower paid.

- Paulb, London

I can clearly smell yet another stealth tax on the horizon.

- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR

24 hour drinking is not the cause, merely one of the symptoms. Anti-social behaviour is the choice of individuals and they should be held individually accountable. The criminal courts need to deal effectively with this problem and make those who participate in these crimes pay society back in full. Long periods of community service are needed for lesser crimes and long jail sentences for violent crimes (to be served in full with no early release). Missing your community service obligations must immediately comute your sentence to a custodial term. The criminals must be shown that severe punishment will result from their crimes. The courts have been far too lenient for far too long. The courts must work for the victims.

- Dannyp, Egham

Add your comment