BarTalk

Should 16 to

18-year-olds be allowed to drink in pubs?

Jessica Luke

Brewery Tap

Peterborough

Cambridgeshire

Absolutely not. We should preserve the culture of pubs as a mature, grown-up scene. And we shouldn't in any way encourage these youngsters to drink - more should be done to stop them drinking on the streets. The argument that the pub is a more controlled environment is rubbish - at some point they would have to leave the pub and get themselves home.

Justine Stockton

Five Degrees West

Falmouth

Cornwall

No. They're not responsible enough to be able to drink. The legal age for cigarette sales has risen to 18, so it's ridiculous to lower the legal drinking age. They would be monitored, rather than drinking on the street, but the legal age should be raised to 21. Some operators might say yes because it means a bigger pool of customers, but my regulars would be put off by a load of kids.

Dave Parker

Shoulder of Mutton

Castleford

Yorkshire

I don't know what to think - it sounds a bit bonkers. They should just leave things as they are. It certainly won't stop youth binge drinking - that much should be obvious. It won't achieve anything. My regulars would not stand for people as young as that in the pub anyway. I don't even know if they'd come in, because we're a real-ale pub and we don't serve any alcopops.

Nick Green

Stansfield Arms

Apperley Bridge

Yorkshire

No. I don't think they're wise enough or old enough. The majority of kids today aren't taught by their families about what alcohol actually does to you. Maybe if there was more education in schools and homes the answer might be yes - but at the moment, not a chance. I think the Government is far more likely to raise the legal drinking age to 21.