'Let off for drink sales to children'

More shopkeepers are escaping prosecution for selling alcohol to children, disturbing new figures show. The number caught breaking the law on serving under-age customers rose by a third from 2004 to 2007. But prosecutions have fallen sharply because far more are being given £80 fixed notices - described by critics as little more than a 'slap on the wrist' -The Metro​

Gordon Brown has rejected a proposal by his top medical adviser for a minimum price of alcohol to tackle binge drinking. The Prime Minister acted after newspapers published details of Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer's, plan, which could result in every can of beer costing at least £1 and a bottle of wine a minimum of £4. The Department of Health gave the idea a fair wind initially, saying that nothing was ruled out and pointing out that Sir Liam had been one of the earliest proponents of a ban on smoking in public places - The Times ​

JD Wetherspoon: The pub operator reported a 1.9 per cent increase in like-for-like sales in the six weeks to March 8 and allayed fears over its ability to refinance a $140 million US private placement from existing facilities and cashflows.Tim Martin, the chairman, attacked the Government for imposing "unsustainable" levels of tax on the industry -The Times​

Pub regulars are being asked not to pull a fast one after a landlord introduced the first ever "honesty pint". Martin Hughes, who runs the Wheatsheaf Inn, in Church Street, Willingdon, near Eastbourne, asked drinkers to pull their own - and then put cash in an honesty box. The watering hole boss said the measure meant his staff could afford to relax and waiting times for drinkers had been slashed - The Argus​