New BII boss: "Pubs are a sitting target

New BII chief executive Neil Robertson has said pubs are being unfairly blamed for social disorder in the UK.

In his first interview since taking over from John McNamara as boss of the body Robertson also said he was keen for trade groups to speak with a more "coherent voice".

He said: "Lets be blunt, lots of people blame pubs for social disorder. Now how much of the blame for social disorder lies at doors of pubs? Very little.

"When I was working in drug misuse it was clear that drugs and drug problems are a people problem - it is not about the supply.

"It's therefore not right to blame the suppliers it's the people that use it that should be looked at. It's very easy to blame pubs they are a sitting target and I think unfairly."

Robertson, who has also previously worked in government departments and across the private and public sectors, also said the industry needed to speak as one on the issue of responsible drinking.

He said: "We are drinking less than we ever have, we drink less than the French so why have we got such a problem? The problem doesn't lie with on-trade or the off-trade - although excessive discounts don't help - but the primary problem is people not drinking responsibly."

He added: "The government and the industry share the same objective in encouraging responsible drinking. I think we would disagree sometimes with how they do it and regulation and mandatory codes of practice are not always the best way to achieve that kind of thing. Training is the thing that should be tried first and given a chance."

For the rest of the interview click on the link on the right.