What the Sunday papers said

The vice-chairman of the Local Government Association will be calling on Chancellor Gordon Brown to plug a £71m deficit that has been created by Labour's attempts to keep pubs open all night. Sir Jeremy Beecham says he expects the government to fund the sum - the estimated cost of administering the new licences and investigating residents complaints or appeals now the system is up and running - rather than expect the taxpayer to foot the bill. - Sunday Express​

A leading police expert on sexual violence warned that more women could be raped as a result of the new licensing laws. Rapists would target young women who had been binge-drinking, said John Yates, of the Association of Chief Police Officers. However Yates said the assumption that rapes would rise as a result of longer drinking hours should be treated as "speculative". - The Observer​

The man who treated George Best until his death last week said he feared that extending the UK's licensing hours would lead to an increase in all the detrimental effects of alcoholism. Young people's habit of drinking to excess was of particular concern, said Professor Roger Williams, who added that he hoped Best's death would highlight the perils of alcoholism. - The Observer​

George Best's surgeon and liver expert, Professor Roger Williams, told of his grief over the death of the ex-footballer and blasted the UK's drinking culture that killed him. He said people like Best and their families would continue to suffer until the government toook drastic measures to tackle heavy drinking. - Independent On Sunday​

The causes of alcohol dependency go much further than just its availability. Flexible hours will improve the quality of life for the responsible majority with no net effect on nuisance or problem drinking. It would be a fitting tribute to George Best if the new licensing laws were accompanied by a by a better understanding of, and action on, the roots of addictive and self-destructive behaviour. - Independent On Sunday​

Property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz has emerged as the front-runner to snap up Spirit Group. Tchenguiz, whose companies own the Yates and Hog's Head chains, is believed to have tabled a bid believed to be in excess of £2.8bn, pipping rival Punch Taverns to the prize of Spirit's 1,800-plus sites. - The Business​

Robert Tchenguiz could enter an exclusivity agreement with Spirit Group as early as tomorrow (November 28). Mr Tchenguiz has submitted a bid, backed by Icelandic bank Kaupthing and Barclays Bank, of just over £2.8bn. Other bidders are Punch Taverns, banker Robin Saunders, the Barclay brothers and Australia's MacQuarie Bank. Tchenguiz is meanwhile working on refinancing his estate of pubs, a move which would see him subordinating the payments he makes to beer suppliers beneath other creditors in return for the suppliers getting more favourable payment terms. - Sunday Times​

Spirit Group is believed to have received a bid for the company of up to £2.9bn from property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz, topping offers from rivals Punch Taverns, the billionaire Barclay brothers and Clearbrook Capital, the firm founded by banker Robin Saunders. - Mail On Sunday​