- A number of Teeside off-licences have brought in a permanent weekend ban on selling alcohol to people under 21. Six off-licences in the Saltburn area introduced the ban earlier this year and following a reduction in incidents of youngsters being drunk and disorderly, the ban is now permanent. Traders said the self-imposed ban had not affected their profits. Sgt Steve MacFarlane of Cleveland Police told the BBC that in the past, youths pestered older youths of 18 or 19 years to buy alcohol for them, but the ban had alleviated the problem. Morning Advertiser
- A drive to combat excessive alcohol consumption in the Ribble Valley was launched at a Clitheroe pub. The scheme, called "altn8", is aimed at the 18 to 44 age group and encourages alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks to minimise the harmful effects of "binge drinking". Its Ribble Valley launch was held at the Swan and Royal, in Castle Street. The scheme also aims to cut the number of incidents of alcohol-fuelled violence, which are on the increase, particularly among the under-30s. Its message is simple – alternate drinks, alternate the days you drink and alternate venues. Clitheroetoday
- European Union judges are to deliver a ruling in a case that could change the way shoppers buy alcohol and tobacco. The ruling will decide whether taxes should be paid at home or abroad when people buy the goods in another country and have them delivered to their home. It could have a big effect in the UK, where taxes are high and many Britons travel to mainland Europe on "booze cruises" for cheaper alcohol. Bargain hunters could use the internet to find the best deal in the EU. BBC News
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