Home Office surveys public on alcohol code

Polling firm Mori surveyed 1,700 members of the public to gauge reaction to plans for the mandatory alcohol retailing code, the Government has revealed.

Feedback from 20 public focus groups, as well as the damning criticism from the 10 regional stakeholders' workshops, is also being studied alongside formal written responses.

A Home Office spokesman said: "These responses are now being analysed by an independent company and we expect that a report will be finalised at some point in late September /early October.

"We will then consider the findings and any further action required before Ministers make a final decision on the content of the code."

The spokesman said there is no start-date for the code in mind and it will be subject to the Parliamentary timetable.

The code will see pubs forced to follow conditions, including curbs on drinks deals and smaller drinks servings. Councils could impose harsher conditions on multiple venues in hotspots.

The consultation closed on Friday 14 August and the spokesman said: "We have received a large number of responses from the police, licensing authorities, those in the alcohol industry and the public.

"They include formal written responses, on-line responses, feedback from the ten regional stakeholder workshops and 20 public focus groups as well as the responses to the leaflet questionnaire.

"In addition, a survey of 1,700 members of the public was also conducted on our behalf by Mori."

Earlier this week the Local Government Association said the code was not needed and would "penalise the majority of responsible on-trade retailers". And 7,153 people objected to the code via the Axe the Tax, Save the Pub website.