Health chiefs call time on alcohol happy hours and extra-large glasses as voluntary code fails

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Title – Health chiefs call time on alcohol happy hours and extra-large glasses as voluntary code fails
Source – The Times
Date – 23rd July 2008

The KPMG report does seem to state the obvious, it doesn’t take respected auditors to tell us that staff working in licenses premises sometimes sell to drunk people. There is after all no legal definition of the word ‘Drunk’ as referred to in the Licensing Act 2003 and although selling alcohol to a drunk person is an offence, there is a clear reluctance or inability to enforce this by the authorities, leaving little in the way of guidance or deterrent.

These latest reports are nothing new and I have commentated at length about the size of wine glasses and ’24-hour’ drinking in this blog previously. It is the disjointed nature of the arguments that I find frustrating. Classing everyone under the umbrella of the ‘Drinks Industry’ is a wholly outdated approach. 20 years ago pubs were largely owned by the breweries, this made the link more tenable and enforceable. That is no longer the case and much of the ability to enforce a code of conduct by drinks manufacturers has gone with ‘pub groups’ and independents now dominating the market.

For this reason linking drink labelling to dj’s encouraging customers to drink more, is a very uncohesive, unworkable approach.

Many people have recently used the automotive industry as a comparison; it is a little like holding petrol stations responsible for speeding or the car industry for not encouraging people to drive less; it simply does not work in practice or as an argument.

The government needs to address those aspects of the industry it can individually; local authorities need to explore how to reasonably use the powers they already have (before asking for more) selectively rather than simply blaming licensed retailers as a whole for the poor performance of the few; and the licensed retailers need to start putting their own house in order where it has frayed at the edges. Until these individual sections are addressed in a sensible and constructive manner; nothing will change.

There is another factor in all of this and that is the general public, they have a responsibility and they need to be given that responsibility and face the consequences when they break the law. Responsible alcohol retailers can not take all the blame for individuals who drink to excess or become aggressive and violent when they consume alcohol. Ultimately we are all responsible for our own actions and much of the behaviour that blights the streets of city centres every Friday and Saturday night are the same irresponsible individuals that know they face little or no sanction for their actions. Not only does this need to change, but society as a whole needs to view these people with the same distain with which they view ‘drink drivers’ or ‘football hooligans’; because as long as we accept this type of behaviour, it will continue.

Our approach to responsible alcohol retailing at Beyond The Blue is to provide effective training to everyone working in the licensed retail sector. Through training such as the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH) employees will understand not only their responsibilities under the Licensing Act 2003, but also the consequences of their actions or inaction. Through our portfolio of BIIAB courses, Security Industry courses and Conflict Management & Resolution courses we offer a comprehensive approach for the licensed retail sector.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk