by John Harrington
The British Beer & Pub Asso-ciation (BBPA) has backed Government claims that police are failing to crack down on problem pubs.
A document written by a civil servant for culture secretary Tessa Jowell in 2004, and released last week, said there are 'some fundamental questions to ask about police enforcement of alcohol-related problems.
It said: 'Under present law, it is illegal to allow drunkenness on licensed premises or to serve someone who is drunk. I recognise the resource issue for the police, but the issue needs to be enforced.
Police currently have the power to close pubs for 24 hours, and confiscate the licences at venues that serve alcohol to someone who is drunk.
A BBPA spokesman said: 'Police already have the powers to tackle the problems and we would like them to use them more. The answer is to tackle the minority of pubs and people causing the problem, rather than attacking the trade as a whole.
However, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) said officers find it difficult to use their powers.
'It's very hard to pin down a particular licensed premises when the problem of alcohol-fuelled disorder often takes place on the street, by drinkers who might have been to more than one premises, said an ACPO spokeswoman.
ACPO also called for police to be able to close pubs that serve under-18s for 72 hours up from 24 hours in its submission to the Government's Drinking Responsibly consultation.
Trade leaders expressed some sympathy with ACPO's view.
Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations chief executive Tony Payne called for the police to make more arrests. But he pointed to the difficulties faced by police and pub staff in determining who is drunk.
Bar Entertainment & Dance Association chairman John Hayes said police have always found it difficult to revoke a licence, but the best way to deal with problems at pubs and clubs is through voluntary schemes such as Manchester City Safe.