LGA call for changes to split in Late Night Levy revenue: The Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for police and councils to be able to decide locally how to spend and share the money generated from the Late Night Levy. Under the current proposals, 70% of the money generated from premises selling alcohol after midnight would go to the police. The LGA argue that council's roles in looking after and mainting local areas is overlooked by the split. See a report in the Independent and a Guardian repot and poll.
Drinks industry bodies plan to persuade the Government to agree a “sunset clause” on minimum unit pricing, the Telegraph reports. The clause would force ministers to scrap the policy if it was proven not to work after a 'set period'. But drinks companies hope the Prime Minister’s plans won’t make it as far as the statute book amid hopes that Scotland's minimum pricing bill will first be subject to a European legal challenge later this year.
Eight major drinks companies have committed to an EU-wide agreement around responsible marketing reports the Morning Advertiser (MA). Heineken, Carlsberg, Diageo, AB InBev, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Pernod Ricard and SABMiller have signed up to the 'Responsible Marketing Pact', reportedly seen as a way to fend off further legislation of alcohol marketing.
London Metropolitan University is considering establishing alcohol-free zones on its campuses because many of its students consider drinking to be immoral, reports the Guardian. Professor Malcolm Gillies of London Met said the selling of alcohol was an issue of "cultural sensitivity" as a fifth of students are Muslim. See also BBC and Daily Mail reports.
A Budweiser advert has been banned for linking alcohol with sexual success writes the Daily Mail. The advert featured an American football coach giving a motivational team talk before a lads’ night out, telling them ‘You were conceived on a night like tonight.' The advert was deemed to contravene the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules. Non-media promotions are covered by the Portman Group's code of practice.
Women binge drinkers should be names and shamed, says Ann Widecombe in a Daily Telegraph report. The former high-profile Tory politician says pricing will not affect young professionals so the law needs to be used to create shame around public drunkenness. Widecombe cites the success of the change in drink-driving perceptions as a result of law enforcement.
Middle-class children most likely to try alcohol by 12, reports the Telegraph. More than one in three of those born in professional households had downed a full glass before reaching their teenage years - almost twice the level found among 12-year-olds across all economic groups. The figures came from an Ipsos Mori parents poll for Drinkaware, but reportedly do not match NHS findings (see page 21). Reports agreed though that most children who had drunk alcohol at such a young age were getting it from their homes.
Pub & Trade news
A petition calling for the beer duty escalator to be scrapped has hit close to 28,000 signatures - the MA. The Duty escalator was confirmed to continue in the recent budget.
MPs are getting behind the bar of their local pub as part of the ‘MPs in Pubs’ campaign, launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG) last year, and supported by the Morning Advertiser - MA report.
A Bath Nightwatch scheme has been set up, managed and funded by the Bath business improvement district (BID). It enables licensees, police, CCTV operators, and night marshals to communicate about security issues by using ‘smart radio’ technology. MA report. The Government has given backing to BIDs.
A BBC news magazine feature explores Has Britain fallen out of love with lager?
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