'Ban on pub music to stop the binge drinkers'

Barmy?politicians are planning to stop binge drinking by banning loud music in pubs. A Government task force has decided Brits down more booze when noisy songs are playing in the background. They said landlords should be punished for playing music above 70 decibels - as loud as a hairdryer.?The proposal is based on a French study which found the number of drinks ordered rose from 2.6 to 3.4 when loud music was playing - Daily Star​

An "aggressive" beer sold under the name Punk IPA faces being banned after a ruling that it would promote irresponsible drinking. The drink and two others made by BrewDog in Fraserburgh, Scotland - Hop Rocker and Rip Tide - were found to have breached marketing rules in a provisional decision by the Portman Group, a self-regulating industry body. It decided Rip Tide's description as a "twisted merciless stout" would be associated with antisocial behaviour, while the claim that Hop Rocker was a "nourishing foodstuff" and that "magic is still there to be extracted" implied that it would enhance physical and mental capabilities - The Independent​

A recession can be a smart time to launch a business or innovate, if you can find the money to invest. Competitors are struggling to cut costs and you can look forward to the upturn. Lord Bilimoria founded Cobra Beer, a less gassy lager for drinking with curry, in the 1990s recession. What will the successes of this recession be? Gordon Brown, the prime minister, wants to encourage green technologies - possibly right, although governments have rarely been good at predicting business success - The Financial Times​

Sales at the world's most illustrious charity wine auction, the Beaune Hospices, fell by over a quarter on last year as concerns over the global economy led enthusiasts to curb their spending. The total spent at the event, which is an indicator of price trends for the latest Burgundy vintage, came to €2,832,272 (£2.4m) - a fall of 26 per cent on 2007 - The Guardian​

The keys to a former Scottish island pub are being handed over to the Free Church to begin the building's conversion into a place of worship. Regulars held a farewell party to the Carinish Inn on North Uist on the Western Isles at the weekend. The Free Church said the new role would see the building bring together about 60 members who presently worship at three churches - BBC News​