Blame for alcohol related disorder shifted away from pubs

A host of senior pub trade figures have added their weight to the argument that pubs are not to blame for alcohol-related disorder.

Speaking at trade show Bar.07, industry leaders including Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) chief executive Nick Bish and Westminster Licensees' Association chairman Philip Matthews slammed a number of elements of the licensing regime.

Bish said: "At the moment, too little is burdened onto individuals for responsibility of how they behave in pubs and bars.

"The on-trade plays a responsible role in crime and disorder. It is patently obvious that it is well equipped to serve that purpose."

Philip Matthews accused licensing authorities of being concerned "only with enforcement", while it was the pubs themselves that were "concerned with the licensing objectives."

The criticism came on the day that the government announced measures that signal more scrutiny of sectors that have henceforth escaped the heavy-handed treatment over disorder that many say has been meted out to pubs. Under the updated national alcohol strategy, it is to consult on compulsory alcohol labelling to warn drinkers of the dangers that excessive alcohol consumption poses to their health - a move which will place more responsibility on individuals for their behaviour. It also announced an independent review into alcohol pricing expected to focus on discounting in supermarkets.

A proposal which many say shows further heavy-handedness applied to the pub trade, Alcohol Disorder Zones (ADZs) were also the subject of much criticism at Bar.07.

Andy Such, a senior executive at Business in Sport and Leisure, said: "We are vigorously opposed to this pejorative term which could cause long term damage in the areas in which it is applied."

"Declaring an area as a no hoper [as ADZs would] will only have the effect of pushing it further downhill," said Lionel Starling, Swindon Borough Council licensing manager.