Last updated 12:17, Friday, 14 November 2008

Cheap booze. For many those two words are enough to put a beaming smile on the face. A nice relaxing night with a bit of change left in the purse or wallet, whether that drink is consumed in a pub or the comfort of home.

Teenage drinkers: Campaigners want to clamp down on their access to cheap alcohol

But as smokers have come to accept, leisurely pursuits with a hint of danger often lead to restrictions. And usually with good intent.

Smoking in public places was clamped down on to protect the health of non-smokers forced to breathe in the fumes. Now alcohol may be in line for similar limitations.

Discounted alcohol is being blamed for the rising numbers of teenage binge drinkers, and the associated health and crime problems.

Happy hours at pubs or special offers at supermarkets are the chief culprits, say those taking issue. The Home Affairs Select Committee referred to research that showed that the real price of alcohol has fallen dramatically and urged ministers to clamp down on irresponsible bars, pubs and retail outlets.

Cumbria has been shown to be one of the worst areas in the country for drinking problems, with almost one in five Cumbrians deemed hazardous boozers and 18 per cent of primary school children saying they had consumed alcohol.

So will a ban on happy hours tackle the problem in the county? Perhaps not. Police in Carlisle are not opposed to such promotions, but fewer watering holes are dangling this particular carrot in front of drinkers anyway.

Kevin Norman, landlord of The Curwen Arms, Traveller’s Rest and Hogs and Heffers in Workington, says that being a member of the town’s Pubwatch, a voluntary organisation, means that he is unable to run drinks promotions.

“To be part of Pubwatch in Workington you have to abide by certain rules,” he said. “We are also governed by the local authority and the police.

“It would be good if we could offer them though, especially as trading is so tough at the moment.”

Mr Norman will be pulling out as licensee of the Traveller’s Rest next week and is due to open a cafe bar in the town instead by the end of the month.

“I am having to diversify my business. You have to move with the times. Rents are increasing and the price of the alcohol from the brewery is so high.

“You can’t just rely on people coming through the doors to drink and we have offered live music, bingo and poker nights.

“If you are tight on money you cut back on nights out and people can buy cheap alcohol from supermarkets which is encouraging them to stay at home.”

While Professor John Ashton doesn’t want to put the final nail in the coffin for the pub trade, he thinks that any promotion that encourages people to drink is wrong.

The public health director for Cumbria said: “Pubs are an important social institution but alcohol is too cheap and people at all ages are drinking too much.

“Happy hour type promotions encourage excess.

“It is mayhem on Friday and Saturday nights and the police are doing the best they can with the resources they have.”

Figures released in Parliament covering 2006 revealed 14 children aged under 15 were prosecuted in the county’s courts that year for alcohol-fuelled bad behaviour and a further 26 kids aged 10 to 15 were given a caution for being drunk and disorderly.

Professor Ashton says it is the irresponsible selling of alcohol that is leading to excess levels of drinking and calls for a tightening up of the availability of alcohol.

“It has come to the point where we should stop selling alcohol in supermarkets,” he said.

“Alcohol should only be sold in proper off-licences that are properly regulated.

“The alcohol industry is behaving like the tobacco industry 20 years ago. It is lying about how youngsters can get hold of it.”

He also highlights the devastating harm alcohol can have on family life and health.

“The cost of dealing with alcohol- related problems to the NHS runs into several billion every year,” he said. “It is not about stopping drinking altogether, it is an important part of our culture, but it is out of control.

“There should be health warnings on alcohol and properly regulated measures on wine glasses.

“Pubs should improve what they offer – a family friendly environment and good food – and adults need to set an example.”

He suggests introducing youngsters to drinking alcohol in a supervised environment, allowing over 16s to drink alcohol in a controlled environment to stop these things from happening.

Sergeant Richard Higgin, of Carlisle police, has noticed a big reduction in alcohol related crime. The number of violent crimes committed in Carlisle city centre from April 1 to date has fallen by 125 on the same period last year – and assault with injury is down by 38.

“This is down to a combination of factors,” he said. “Closing Botchergate to traffic at certain times has definitely made a difference. You can feel the change in the atmosphere, people are more relaxed.”

Designated public place orders, which ban drinking in a public place, have also contributed to this perceived relaxation, as have test purchase operations with three licensees in Carlisle being taken to court for serving alcohol to someone under 18.

Carlisle Pubwatch will clamp down on what it deems to be irresponsible drinks promotions being run by its members. It has introduced a £1.50 minimum pricing policy for its members. Earlier this year JD Wetherspoon pubs The Woodrow Wilson and William Rufus in Botchergate were temporarily suspended from the city’s Pubwatch scheme for selling drinks for less than £1.50.

“I have nothing against happy hour promotions,” said Sergeant Higgin. “They are not a new concept.

“Problems with people drinking too much have always existed and we are more aware of them now.

“It is because supermarkets sell alcohol so cheaply that people now drink at home before going out.”

Beer sales at the pump are plunging at the highest rate for a decade – down 7.2 per cent this quarter compared to last year.

A total of 161 million fewer pints were sold between July and September compared with the same period last year – a fall of 1.8 million pints a day.

Beer sales in pubs, bars and restaurants fell 8.1 per cent over the same period, while the amount of beer sold in supermarkets and off-licences dropped six per cent – the first decline since early last year.

In October it was revealed by the British Beer and Pub Association that the number of pub closures across the country had risen to 36 a week.

Mel Greenwood, licensee of the Greg Bull in Penrith, thinks that supermarkets selling cheap alcohol should bear the brunt of this latest offensive by MPs and campaigners.

“There is little policing of supermarkets yet pubs are heavily scrutinised,” he said. “The problems are not with the pub licensees. We are getting penalised.

“Rents and utility bills are rising. Sometimes it is not worth opening during the week. Landlords are barely scraping together the minimum wage for themselves.”

Supermarket chain Morrisons has operated a Task 25 scheme in all its stores since June this year where customers buying alcohol in any Morrisons store are asked for proof of age if they look 25 or younger.

Richard Taylor, director of corporate affairs for Morrisons, said: “We believe any ban on promotions would be disproportionate, discriminatory against the vast majority of people who drink responsibly, and would not achieve the aim of tackling alcohol misuse by a few.”

Clearly landlords and supermarket bosses are keen to distance themselves from the anti-social problems connected with alcohol, while keen to profit from its sale.

Whether hitting either in the pocket will solve the problem of binge drinking remains to be seen.