'Kids safer in the pub than the park'

A report by Brighton and Hove council claims it would be "preferable" for underage teenagers to drink in pubs rather than gather in parks or on street corners. The dossier claims adolescents would be safer and less likely to cause antisocial behaviour if they were under the watchful eye of bar staff and adult drinkers. The review, by an in-house City Council think-tank of councillors and others, links a rise in problematic "park drinking" culture with successful crackdowns on underage sales in pubs - Brighton Argus​

Whitbread has hired Richard Baker, the former chief executive of Boots, as a non-executive director, marking his return to the City. ​His appointment has sparked speculation that he may be in line to succeed Mr Parker who has been at Whitbread for 17 years and at the helm since 2004. However, Mr Parker said that Mr Baker had "made it crystal clear" that he was not interested in the role - The Times ​

Defence chiefs are appealing for donations so British troops returning from Afghanistan can enjoy a beer on their flight home. "Beer for the boys" has been launched to provide a can of lager or bitter for men and women fl ying back to the UK at the end of the gruelling six-month tours. Breweries, including Scottish & Newcastle, veterans' associations, City of London guilds and Dutch brewery Grolsch have donated thousands of cans, but the team at Brize Norton which runs the RAF flights would like more - Daily Star​

Property groups, pubs and other leisure companies could experience a further wave of restructurings in the next year, according to the head of PwC, which includes the UK's largest insolvency practice. In an interview with the Financial Times, Ian Powell, chairman of the accountancy firm, said: "We think there's a big overhang in terms of possible restructurings from real estate and leisure and pub companies we see as remaining under pressure". - The Financial Times​

Police from Merseyside are advising the rest of the country's forces how to manage pubs, bars and nightclubs. The Home Office has recruited two officers for a nationwide blitz to keep city centres as safe as possible. The sergeants have already spoken to forces in Portsmouth, Southampton and Lincoln about licensing best practice. The officers talk about police's powers of closure, review hearings and how to deal with 'problem' premises - Liverpool Echo​