What the papers say - May 18, 2007

Britain's biggest nightclub operator vowed to tackle the issue of drink-related violence yesterday by introducing plastic glasses throughout its venues over the next 12 months. The decision by Luminar, which runs about 120 of the UK's biggest dancing venues, comes as the rest of the pub industry is stepping up attempts to stop police introducing glass bans - The Times​

Full figures for the first year of relaxed licensing laws are yet to be published, but early statistics suggest that longer drinking hours have not produced a surge in alcohol-fuelled violence. There appears to have been no increase in the overall level of violent crime and criminal damage nor a change of timing of offences as a result of the November 2005 change in licensing laws - The Times​

The Capital Pub Company, which owns 23 pubs across London, has resurrected its AIM flotation plans, although it no longer plans to raise new funds - The Times​

Around 2,500 post offices will be axed over the next 18 months cutting the total from 14,300 to about 11,800, Alistair Darling, the Trade and Industry Secretary, confirmed yesterday. He also confirmed that the Government would invest £1.7 billion in the network by 2011, including £150 million of subsidy for the least viable branches. In addition, there will be 500 "outreach" units - in either mobile units or pubs and community centres - to provide postal services - The Telegraph​

Tyskie, Lech and Zywiec could soon become as well known in British pubs as Guinness, Thwaites and Carling if trends persist, according to the latest sales figures released by one of the world's biggest brewers. SAB Miller, the brewing giant behind Miller Lite, said yesterday that sales of its two Polish brands in the UK in Ireland had soared by an astonishing 333 per cent over the last year - The Telegraph​

Gordon Brown was accused last night of failing to build a "fairer society" after new official figures showed a growing gap between rich and poor. The ONS figures will revive concerns that although poorer households may be earning more, "stealth taxes" have eaten much of the increases. Increases in duty on alcohol and tobacco will have hit poorer households hard - The Telegraph​

Shares in SABMiller shares fell 19p yesterday to close at £11.67 after the company said commodity costs could increase by up to $200m in 2008 because of higher prices for packaging materials such as aluminium cans and glass bottles, as well as brewing materials such as malt, barley and hops - The Financial Times​

Honeycombe Leisure jumped 22.2 per cent to 11p after returning from suspension yesterday, following the reverse takeover on Wednesday of Cains, the Liverpool based brewer. Honeycombe, which will change its name to Cains Beer, raised a total of £5.1m, partly through a £2.6m placing of 52m shares - The Financial Times​