Loud and clear...

Publicans and drinkers refute accusations by Alcohol Concern that music is played at full volume to encourage drinking. Jackie Annett gets the message.

As if the trade wasn't suffering enough right now as it stands accused of being the root of all evil, Alcohol Concern has decided it should shoulder the blame for yet another ill. It has accused publicans of underhand tactics to encourage more drinking. According to its research, licensees that play loud music in their pubs are doing so in an attempt to make their customers drink faster.

All this comes hot on the heels of criticism levelled at the industry by the national press over binge-drinking and associated crime and disorder in the run up to changes in licensing.

Alcohol Concern told an Evening Standard journalist last week that pubs that play loud music are adopting a "cynical ploy" to make customers drink excessively. It said this was among a list of tactics that operators employ, such as placing salty snacks on bars and providing minimum seating, to make customers guzzle more.

So what evidence does Alcohol Concern base these accusations on? A spokeswoman from the alcohol misuse agency told The Publican: "Our comments were based on extensive international research which shows that yes, loud music does encourage people to drink quicker.

"People can't hear each other talk so they drink more quickly. There are more diverse groups in the community and the trade should be appealing to these - not just the 18 to 24 age bracket.

"If you go into any town centre, on any one street there will be a concentration of eight to 10 pubs that are all playing loud music, all vying for the business of the younger market," says the spokeswoman. "There should be more variety. The trade needs to be more inclusive of a wider sector."

Unsurprisingly, pubs and pub chains have been quick to refute the accusation. While many pubs and bars play loud music, they insist they do so because this is what their customers want. A spokesman for Regent Inns, which has the Walkabout chain as one of its high street brands, says: "Our customers come to our venues for a lively atmosphere and music is an important ingredient in creating that."

And a poll on thePublican.com last week found that 68 per cent of licensees disagree with Alcohol Concern's claims, while only 32 per cent agree that loud music does encourage customers to drink excessively.

Gavin Mullin, assistant manager at the Bricklayers Arms in Leeds says: "We don't play loud music often, only on special occasions such as a student theme night. But it doesn't make our customers drink faster - that's just ridiculous."

'Our customers want loud music'​

Andrew Chansing is the licensee of the Dogstar in Brixton, South London, which regularly plays loud music. He says: "Loud music alone does not make people drink faster. There are other factors to consider, such as the type of music and whether people are dancing. Our customers are aged from 21 to 45 and we play loud music because this is what our customers want. If we turned it down they would complain - or leave and go somewhere else."

And it's not just licensees and pub companies that have rubbished Alcohol Concern's assertions. Customers also think the claims are ludicrous. We asked customers in Croydon for their views. All those asked were adamant that loud music doesn't encouage people to drink quicker.

The trade's position is that loud music does not encourage people to drink quicker and customers agree. Our quick poll proves that this perception is borne out.

However, there may be something the trade can learn from this. Alcohol Concern suggested that there should be a greater choice of venues that don't play loud music and two-thirds of customers from our survey agreed.

The conclusion? If you play loud music in your pub, it doesn't encourage your customers to drink quicker. But if you choose not to, you may find you encourage a few extra customers through your doors in search of some peace and quiet.

What drinkers say​

Customers at the Hogshead in Croydon, interviewed by The Publican last week, all denied that loud music affected the amount they drunk

Jo Ward, 22:​ "Music just gets you up dancing, but it doesn't make me drink quicker though."

Joe White, 35:​ "No, loud music definitely doesn't make people drink quicker."

Kenny Bristol, 37:​ "I choose to go to venues that play loud music if I'm in the mood. But if I don't fancy it, I just go elsewhere to drink."

Theresa Robins, 52:​ "I don't believe for a minute that loud music makes people drink quicker. I drink in venues that play loud music most weekend nights. But I do feel there should be more choice with more venues that don't play loud music."

Tom Ronan, 44:​ "There is more than enough choice of places to go. I visit pubs playing loud live music when I'm in the mood."