Why should pubs take the blame?

One of the biggest contributors to declining standards of Government has been a pathetic over-reliance on management consultants.

Our politicians — elected by us to use their judgement wisely — have wasted billions on outsourcing policy-making to highly-educated professionals who don't get out much.

The results have been disastrous — look at what's happened to our railways, our post offices, our schools, our hospitals… The list goes on and on. And the latest disaster in the making is the KPMG report on responsible drinking.

This is an utterly laughable document, compiled no doubt at great expense to us taxpayers, and it will apparently play a major part in how the Government next proceeds in its quest to kill binge drinking (and pubs, for that's what it's doing with all the regulatory costs it heaps on the sector).

Consider the naivety and ineptness of this lamentable report. Just over 400 pubs and bars in eight towns have been "studied" by KPMG's people. And surprise, surprise, some less than edifying examples of drunkenness and poor behaviour were discovered. For instance, would you believe it, there were "several instances" of fights and assaults, urinating and vomiting in public places. And, totally astonishingly, some bars and clubs were overcrowded and a few glasses were knocked over.

It's a wonder KPMG doesn't mention that not everyone they surveyed said "please" and "thank you" when they ordered drinks.

Get real. Life is very different to how KPMG's people see it. Our whole society is more bolshy, less respectful and frankly less responsible than it ever was 20 years ago.

Many people behave far more badly, and far more antisocially these days than ever before. "Sod you" is the motto of our times. And yes, it's mightily depressing for people brought up to respect others and take responsibility for their own actions.

But to blame this behaviour on pubs and how they're operated is putting the cart before the horse. It's a problem for society, not Britain's licensees. And it's madness to think that putting more and more pressure and red tape on pubs will solve anything.

Yet that seems to be the only response this intellectually threadbare Government can come up with. It ignores the massive strides taken by the trade to kick out underage drinkers; it dismisses the codes on responsible drinking and promotions; and it displays amnesia in overlooking all the weight of current law and regulation, which is perfectly adequate to crack poor behaviour, but, for whatever reason, is hardly ever used. Meanwhile, supermarkets sell alcohol below cost and parents let their kids glug away.

Pubs ain't perfect. They never will be.

But they deserve better than is being dished out by the boys in the Westminster bunker.