Alcohol Policy UK

Can local action prevent sales to drunks? CPH reports review impact

Two evaluation reports of projects attempting to reduce sales to drunks and associated problems have been released by the Centre for Public Health (CPH).

Know the Score 

An Evaluation of the South Wales Know the Score Intervention [pdf] was a pilot which aimed to increase bar staff and public awareness of the law on sales to drunk persons, and promote responsible drinking behaviours in nightlife environments.

The project was developed by South Wales Police which included: a social marketing campaign; radio broadcasts; intervention materials promoting the campaign; enhanced police enforcement; and promotion of the materials by agencies and its #drinklessenjoymore strap-line.

News & updates June 2015: MUP cuts crime, loi evin, Anti-Social Behaviour, chimpanzees that drink, pregnancy, smoking in pubs

Selected June media stories since the May roundup:

Alcohol policy

Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) cuts crime, according to research from Canada. Crimes against the person fell by 9% over a decade as authorities in British Columbia increased prices by 10%. The Guardian

The British Medical Association (BMA) in Scotland has called for alcohol advertising at events aimed at children to be banned. BBC News

Drinks advertising in France, currently severely restricted, could become "almost limitless" if MPs approve wine grower-senator Gerard Cesar's (pictured) amendment on Monday, warns Claude Evin, father of landmark law on drink ads ban. Telegraph

Alcohol-related hospital admissions rise again reports the Guardian, despite falls in consumptions - APUK analysis here.

News & updates May 2015: alcohol research, football fans, Formula 1, night time economy

Selected media stories since the April roundup

Alcohol research stories

Binge drinking as a teenager causes long-lasting changes to the regions of the brain that control learning and memory, according to new research reported in the Daily Mail

Teenagers who mix energy drinks with alcohol are more likely to binge drink and abuse alcohol later in life, again according to new research reported in the Daily Mail

The Express asked whether weekend wine could be ruining your waistline (it could).

The Independent looked at how alcohol makes you friendlier – but only to certain people, whilst according to a new study published in the Journal of Sex Research, which included 18 females, booze is a total killjoy when it comes to getting it on and really getting off, reported Metro.

News & updates April 2015: booze buses, alcohol with marijuana, is alcohol a 'gateway' drug?, memory, movies and pop music

Selected media stories since the March roundup

Mobile “booze buses” to treat drunken revellers could soon become a common sight in towns and cities across England, after a pilot project led to dramatic decreases in A&E admissions and saved the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds, reported the Independent.

Personnel Today discussed drug and alcohol testing in the workplace. It suggests a sensible way forward for employers is to remove the stigma surrounding drug and alcohol abuse and get to the root of the problem, taking a health-led, rather than disciplinary-led, approach.

Binge drinking is costing UK taxpayers £4.9bn a year as we analysed here or see BBC report and the Telegraph recently asked "Do you know how much alcohol you are drinking?" explaining units and NHS risk levels to readers.

Crime, drink-drug driving & violence

Thermal cameras could be used to catch drink drivers, using an algorithm that spots changes in the face caused by an 'alcohol flush' said the Daily Mail.

People who smoke cannabis while consuming alcohol are twice as likely to drink-drive, says new research reported in the Daily Mail.

People needing medical treatment due to violence dropped by nearly 23,000 between 2013 and 2014, according to Cardiff University researchers as previously reported here or see Wales Online.

Women

272 children left disabled by foetal alcohol syndrome were hospitalised in England over the past 12 months, according to data from the official Health and Social Care Information Centre reported the Daily Mail and Mirror, but the actual number affected by their mother's drinking could be far greater.

A child born with foetal alcohol syndrome has been refused permission to take her case for criminal injuries compensation to the UK Supreme Court said the BBC.

Alcohol policy

Health bosses in Scotland are considering raising the legal age for buying alcohol to 21 to tackle binge drinking, reported the Daily Mail.

Alcohol Concern Cymru has called for tailored health warnings to be included on drinks advertisements, publishing research showing more than half of adverts and advertorials in supermarket magazines do not contain a specific ‘drink responsibly’ message. Wales Online.

More than 100 people have died because of a legal challenge to minimum alcohol pricing by Scotland’s whisky industry, health secretary Shona Robinson has claimed. The Courier 

Treatment 

The NHS could save £27m a year by changing the way it deals with alcoholic patients, reported the BBC after a week at Manchester's Chapman Barker detox unit.

Two key drugs recommended in international guidelines and used to treat alcoholic hepatitis are failing to increase patients' survival and leave death rates among patients "alarmingly high", reported the Mail Online. 

Young people

Marijuana isn’t a gateway drug – alcohol is, said Metro, reporting on research by Treatment4Addiction.

Binge drinking as a teenager causes long-lasting changes to the regions of the brain that control learning and memory, said the Daily Mail, reporting on new research from Duke University.

In a study of 15-year-olds in the UK, those who had been most exposed to alcohol use in films were also most likely to have tried alcohol, and about twice as likely as the least exposed to have been binge drinking, reported the Huffington Post.

Psychologists have documented a striking increase in references to alcohol and heavy drinking in the lyrics of UK chart music. They warn this could mean that attempts to control the direct advertising of alcohol to young people will be in vain, as pop music is effectively spreading a positive message on the drinks companies' behalf.

24 per cent of young professionals in the UK would consider themselves to have a “drinking problem” according to a recent survey reported the Independent.

A new event, Shaken Not Slurred — a pop-up night on the first Thursday of the month has been launched for people to enjoy a drug and alcohol free night out in Bolton without alcohol or drugs. Bolton News

Trade news

Local councils are the real driving force between prohibitionist alcohol policies - and the trade should devote more attention to them, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, reported Harpers.

This Is Money said local councils could be made to pay thousands of pounds in compensation to retailers who say they were pressured into stopping selling strong lagers and ciders, following a legal ruling in Newcastle.

Drinks industry leaders will resist plans for compulsory labeling of calories on alcohol products, by arguing that information would be better used online or on smartphone apps rather than on bottles and cans, said the Grocer.

Starbucks has opened a cafe at Edinburgh Airport which is only its second in the UK to offer dinner and alcohol, reported the Scotsman.

Meanwhile the Grocer says UK consumers have almost no interest in using lower-strength drinks to cut down on alcohol consumption, according to a major new study.

the Telegraph recently asked "Do you know how much alcohol you are drinking?" explaining units and NHS risk levels to readers.

News & updates March 2015: licensing reform, investment in treatment (Wales), weak booze and small bottles

Selected media stories since the February roundup:

Policy 

Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, has urged reform of the licensing system, suggesting the number of bars and pubs in the country be reduced in order to stem the rising tide of alcohol related violence, reported the Telegraph.

Wales: More than £50m will be invested in programmes to tackle drug and alcohol misuse over the next year, announced Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething, says Wales Online. Alcohol misuse is still costing the Welsh NHS more than £109m a year, the Gething said, despite a fall in alcohol-related deaths (BBC).

 

Research

A single alcoholic drink could make people seem more attractive because it causes facial muscles to relax, pupils to dilate and cheeks to flush, according to research reported in the Telegraph.

Scientists have pinpointed a protein in the brain which could be used to suppress the desire to keep drinking alcohol, and could even lead to a cure for alcoholism reported the Telegraph.

Three alcoholic drinks a day could lead to liver cancer – although drinking more coffee could prevent the disease, according to the most comprehensive review to date, reported the Independent.

 

Alcohol by volume

Beer drinkers are turning their back on strong lager with 2 billion fewer units of alcohol consumed in the last two years, reported the Telegraph.  

Does weak wine taste better, asked the Daily Mail, reporting that low alcohol bottles of red stimulate our senses more.  Good news for New Zealand it seems, where the cooler climate is giving its winemakers an edge as they seek to exploit growing global demand for lighter, premium wines, as rising temperatures push up the alcohol content of wines from rivals such as Australia and the United States, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, said the Guardian, sales of mini bottles of wine containing single servings have soared as health-conscious consumers seek to rein in the amount of alcohol they drink, supermarkets are reporting.

 

Trade news

Pub groups gave three cheers to George Osborne after the Chancellor cut another penny from the price of a pint for the third year in a row in the Budget, reported the Telegraph. Scotch whisky producers were pleased too (BBC).

Drinks giant Diageo is to become the first alcohol company to start providing “per typical serve” information on alcohol content and nutrition - including calories - on its products, reported the Grocer.

Publicans with personal licences expiring on or after 1 April 2015 will not need to apply for renewal, the Home Office has confirmed. Morning Advertiser

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill has been passed by Parliament, without further amendment, so that the bill, which includes the statutory pubs code and controversial market rent only clause, will now be put forward for Royal Assent before the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the General Election, reported the Morning Advertiser. Update here.

The Scottish Licensed Trade Association has urged the Government to do more to support pubs north of the border, following a survey that reveals two thirds of outlets have suffered a decline in like-for-like sales of up to 10% following the introduction of tougher drink driving limits, reported the Morning Advertiser.

News & updates December 2014: pub closures; 'arrest drunks to save A&Es'; drinking and the body; trade news & more

Selected media reports since the November roundup:

Policy in the news

A report from 'free-market think-tank' the Institute of Economic Affairs blamed pub closures since the recession on the smoking ban, increases in alcohol duty and declining real wages. It says these directly contributed to more than half of the total 6,000 pub closures since 2006, but plays down the role of cheap off-trade sales. See the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph reports.

Tory peer Lord Hodgson preferred to blame the closure of pubs on an increase in the size of the country's Muslim community, along with the 'inexorable rise of regulation' and the availability of low price alcohol in supermarkets, reported the Daily Mail.

Calls to arrest and fine drunks to reduce pressure on A&Es has been made by the president of the College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Cliff Mann. He claimed it would act as a deterrent and change the idea it was 'normal' to get too drunk - the Guardian (or see a previous RCN debate on the subject).

The Guardian reported new research findings that industry lobbyists are hijacking government alcohol policy reform discussions and hampering efforts in Australia and the UK to curb drinking rates.

Doctors demanded a ban on alcohol firms sponsoring sports clubs and events because they claim that the “outrageous” practice is fuelling underage drinking by children, reported the Guardian. as Wales Online. reported Alcohol Concern Cymru's calls for statutory regulation of the drinks industry.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report has said a £2.7bn fund to improve public health in England has warned over the need to better target health money, and often spend on alcohol is not reflecting local need. BBC News.

The Court of Appeal has ruled that a child born with foetal alcohol syndrome is not legally entitled to compensation after her mother drank excessively while pregnant, reported BBC News.

Drinking and drinkers

BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat ran a feature on how the body metabolises alcohol, which also explained how different factors such as age and gender impact on level of intoxication.

'Most people who die from liver disease AREN'T alcoholics - they just drink nearly every day': Experts warn we need a 3-day break each week so the body can recover, proclaimed the Daily Mail.

New figures have indicated the extent of the danger posed by pedestrians under the influence of alcohol, with the Glasgow area third for pedestrian drunkenness, just behind Greater London and Kent, reported BBC News.

New research reported in the Daily Mail shows tee-totallers have come up with various ways of getting out of drinking at work social events without arousing suspicion from their colleagues.

Scientists claim to have discovered a drug that reduces the harmful effects of binge drinking, reported the Daily Mail of 'wonder drug' ethane-β-sultam, which reduces the loss of brain cells and the inflammation that results from bouts of heavy drinking. However, NHS Choices said the Mail had exaggerated the research findings.

A decline in drinking among middle-aged people over the past decade could be caused by isolation as well as a growing awareness of the dangers of alcohol, research suggested. Yahoo News.

About a third of 15-year-olds in the UK have blacked out due to alcohol, a new survey indicates - and the rate rises to nearly three-quarters by the time they reach 19, reported Reuters.

Researchers believe early man developed a gene mutation that meant they could metabolise fermenting fruit lying on the ground, prompting the Daily Mail to suggest we have been drinking alcohol for 10 million years.

Trade news

Just 10 people were prosecuted in England and Wales in 2013 for selling alcohol to a drunk person, reported the Morning Advertiser, a fall from 18 the previous year. See our recent post on this issue.

UK beer sales have bounced back after five consecutive years of decline, according to the latest research from Mintel. Big Hospitality

A powers of entry code, stipulating that licensing authorities will be expected to give at least 48 hours’ notice before visiting a pub, will come into force in April, reported the Morning Advertiser.

Tameside council has rejected a proposed late-night levy due to the current economic climate, whilst Liverpool council is about to launch a consultation on the levy for the city.

The Gambling Commission is looking to appeal the First-Tier Tribunal’s decision to allow Greene King a bingo licence, in order to stop commercial gambling “spreading to pubs”, said the Morning Advertiser.

See the Morning Advertiser's ten most popular stories of 2014.

Other news

Alcohol consumption in Scotland has fallen by the equivalent of 38 million pints of beer a year since 2009, according to an NHS Health Scotland report, which said much of this could be attributed to the economy crashing and the scrapping of multi-buy deals. BBC News.

The number of towns and cities which are officially “saturated” with alcohol has grown by a third in just two years reported the Telegraph.

One in five drivers admits to getting behind the wheel the morning after a heavy night’s drinking despite the risk of still being over the drink-drive limit, according to AA research reported by Yahoo.

The Mirror reviewed 5 smartphone apps that can 'keep you on a relatively straight and narrow path and help you avoid becoming the ultimate Yule fool'.

News & updates November 2014: 95% ABV vodka under fire, older women's drinking, sobriety tags, trade news & more

Selected media reports since the October roundup:

Amazon has halted sales of the 95%-alcohol vodka, Spirytus Rektyfikowany, that killed a girl at her 18th birthday party. The Polish liquor is still being sold in the UK through scores of internet shopping sites, along with other super-strength spirits, reports the Mirror.

Soaring numbers of older women are having treatment for alcohol dependency, reports the Daily Mail and Guardian, with over-60s now making up nearly one in ten of all women undergoing formal treatment programmes.

Severe damage inflicted on an unborn baby by her mother’s heavy drinking during pregnancy was equivalent to an attempt at manslaughter, the court of appeal has been told, reports the Guardian, whilst campaigners and doctors call for stronger warnings about drinking during pregnancy, says BBC News.

Lib Dem MP Norman Baker has said that the country should be "worried more about alcohol" than cannabis and policy should do more to tackle irresponsible sales, according to the Independent. Baker, who recently resigned from his role as Home Office lead on drugs, said "I’m in favour of evidence-based policy, and we underplay the dangers of alcohol."

A Tory Government will allow judges across the country to use alcohol abstinence orders or 'sobriety bracelets', if the party is returned to government next year, according to the Guardian. The scheme is currently being piloted in London and several other areas.

Trade news 

As the on-trade diversifies pubs are now 'not all about alcohol' says the owner of All Bar One, reports The Telegraph. In some of its other chains, soft drinks now outsell alcohol as reaching out to non-drinking and business crowds becomes increasingly important.

Publicans with personal licences that expire early next year will need to complete an application form to renew their licence, the Home Office has confirmed. The Deregulation Bill, which removes the requirement for personal licences, won't be approved until Spring 2015 at the earliest, so the new application form is a stop-gap, reports the Morning Advertiser.

The Daily Mail picked up on recent research by the Royal Society for Public Health calling for calorie-content labelling on alcoholic drinks - a proposal criticised by the drinks trade, according to the Morning Advertiser.

The Government has promised to amend its Business Improvement District (BID) guidance to local councils to encourage areas with the scheme to be exempt from introducing a late-night levy, reports the Morning Advertiser.

Non-alcoholic beer is set to grow by 26% from 2013 to 2018, partly driven by health-conscious Western Europeans who want the beer but not the belly, reports the Daily Telegraph, despite, says the Mirror, its 'terrible taste'.

And finally, Snuffle, alcohol-free Belgian beer for dogs, has been launched in the UK.

 

News & updates Sept 2014: liver disease maps and drink data, alcohol and young people, 'hugger mugger' warnings, breathalysing on the door & more

Selected media stories since the August roundup:

Alcohol data

The Huffington Post picked up on regional information about alcohol-related liver disease published by the Health & Social Care Information Centre. It highlights areas of the North West and North East of England have the highest rate of emergency hospital admissions for alcohol-related liver disease in the country. 

Global alcohol consumption data published by WHO has been used to create an interactive online map showing per capita consumption of wine, beer and spirits by country. 

The Spirits Business reported on new National Diet and Nutrition Survey data on Scots drinking compared to the rest of the UK. Meanwhile, industry figures criticised recent council reports that include “flawed” data that amount to “meaningless propaganda”, according to the Morning Advertiser.

Alcohol and young people

The Morning Advertiser reported that almost 90% of 18-24 year olds agree that education on the effects of alcohol should be integrated into the National Curriculum. Mentor UK's 'ADEPIS' has produced a number of resources for schools, including a toolkit for helping schools review their alcohol and drug policies.

Research reported in the Telegraph suggests students will spend more than £200 on alcohol and getting into bars and clubs during their first week of University. Meanwhile Manchester University claims its new NUS Alcohol Impact scheme has already attracted interest from 'other institutions wishing to get involved' in trying to create a 'social norm of responsible alcohol consumption among students' - our recent analysis of the scheme here.

Meanwhile a Drinkaware poll reported in the Journal, found that nearly a quarter of parents admitted to supplying their own children with up to nine units of alcohol in one sitting. However, parents in Wales are over-estimating the number of young people who drink alcohol, according to Alcohol Education Trust research reported on ITV.com.

300 young people were referred to an alcohol intervention in Durham in Operation Aries - a crackdown on underage drinking over the summer that also saw 200 litres of alcohol confiscated; 80% was purchased by adults, reports the BBC. More here.

Parental drinking habits can affect children before they are born: new research claims that children of mothers who drink as little as four units of alcohol in a day even once while pregnant are at greater risk of developing mental health problems, reports the Guardian.  See more on this from NHS Choices.

Police Alcohol Harm initiatives

In Plymouth, officers have started breathalysing offenders arrested for alcohol related offences. By aiming to ascertain their level of intoxication, police were attempting to identify repeat alcohol related offending, reported the Plymouth Herald. The BBC reports that pub and club goers are to be breathalysed before being allowed into night time venues in Loughborough.

ACPO launched a week-long campaign from 19 September highlighting the realities faced by those dealing with drunkenness and alcohol-related incidents. Police chiefs such as in Worcestershire and Darlington, supported the campaign.

Devon and Cornwall Police kicked the campaign off by tweeting every incident dealt with by officers in the force area overnight on the Friday and Saturday on Twitter to raise awareness of the issue (see @DC_Police #alcoholharm). The last two tweets give a flavour:

Before we say good night, we hope you can see dealing w/ #alcoholharm at weekends has a significant impact on communities & police resources. 

Friday final figures were 43 in custody and 374 incidents between 8pm-3am. Saturday we have 59 in custody and 493 incidents.

Greater Manchester Police tweeted videos of 'hugger mugger' incidents (see video), where drunk people are vulnerable to being robbed during apparently friendly encounters.

Also..

Holidaymaker's insurance claims for accidents are being rejected due to drinking in some cases - but insurers have come under pressure from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who said it expected a "high standard of proof" that the amount consumed made a policy invalid. See BBC report.

'Drunken Nights Out': review outlines framework for Drinkaware activity

Drinkaware have released a review on 'Drunken nights out', intending to inform possible future action the industry funded education charity could take.

The review attracted some headlines, largely relating to the finding that sexual harassment on nights out was common but often tolerated. Whilst much of the report describes what might be expected or previously identified in terms of attitudes and motivations towards what might more commonly be described as 'binge drinking', it offers a detailed exploration into these motives and other contributing factors.

The review drew on qualitative research including interviews and workshops with 80 drinkers aged 18 to 29, a review of literature, and interviews with key informants. By 'drunken nights out', the report refers to a package of behaviours, rejecting 'binge drinking' due to its inconsistent and often stereotyped use.

The full report and 20 page executive summary can be found here, press release here, and below we look at some of the key findings and implications.

Attitudes and motivations for 'drunken nights out'

In the review, 'drunken nights out' were found to deliver clear recognised benefits to participants, something previously highlighted by research criticising over-simplified attempts to address such behaviours via messaging about risks. The report explores four key 'benefits' identified with drunken nights out under headings of 'escape', 'bonding and belonging', 'social adventures' and 'stories'. It states there are few alternatives "which provide the same mix of benefits" and drinkers found hard to think of other things they could do.

Alcohol itself plays a crucial though not universal role in 'drunken nights out':

'Alcoholic drinks are treated as ethanol-delivery mechanisms, with calculations of ‘units per pence’ and appropriate concentrations guiding choice of drink. People value the effects of alcohol, which they see as giving them the confidence and reduced self-consciousness needed to do things they would not normally do; take on their drunken night out identity; and access the benefits of a drunken night out.'

It states that "drunkenness is therefore prized, not only for its direct effects, but also because it is an entry ticket to the social permissions afforded by the drunken night out." Furthermore, experiences of being sober in the night-time economy were experienced as "abnormal and uncomfortable", and so "drunkenness is a required condition of participation in the drunken night out."

Limits and attitudes to health

Such drinkers do express personal "limits" but not as a health consideration, rather than a point at which they do not intend to pass in terms of ability to control their behaviour. Reasons for doing so may include avoiding shame (beyond just embarrassment), but particularly for women, protecting themselves against vulnerability was valued. Groups played an important function in terms of perceived safety. However "as people become more drunk, they are less likely to regulate their consumption consciously, and more likely to respond to situational prompts to drink and conform to social norms."

Longer-term risks "were discounted altogether", in part as drinkers saw health problems associated with "alcoholics" or daily drinkers who overall were thought to drink more. Even where health harms were accepted, their young age and cutting back in the future were seen as reasons not to consider health risks.

Pre-drinking

In the review "pre-drinking" (or pre-loading) is considered "part of the overall package" of behaviours, and drinking games were common. Although the review, and Drinkaware in general, are not involved in pricing debates, it recognises "the opportunity to get drunk for less money does play a role". However it also suggests there is evidence that pre-drinkers may drink as much when out as those who have not pre-drunk.

Risks and Risk Management

Two key serious risk were identified in the review:

• There is a significant problem of violence associated with drunken nights out, skewed towards more serious incidents such as wounding. Many of our participants had witnessed or been victims of violence on a drunken night out.
• There is an association between alcohol consumption and sexual assault. Responses from our participants suggested that molestation and groping are common experiences as part of a drunken night out.

A strategic framework for Drinkaware

The review was conducted to inform potential activities Drinkaware could take, but acknowledges the limited impact of educational approaches, as many public health roles are keen to highlight:

'There is a substantial body of evidence that education and communications are best deployed as part of a wider package of behaviour change interventions – and that, by themselves, they are unlikely to achieve changes in behaviour. Education and communication interventions by Drinkaware need to be developed alongside efforts by other partners using other approaches. In particular, efforts to change the norms that shape drunken nights out will require co-ordination of multiple agents, covering both the delivery of messages to support new norms, and the elimination of messages which, intentionally or unintentionally, sustain and strengthen existing norms associated with increased harm.'

The review identifies four 'strategic territories' for possible education and communications interventions: 'boundaries'; 'conscience'; 'consequences' and 'vulnerabilty'. Within each of these, it suggests potential avenues for activities to help address some of the motivations and attitudes that may lead to 'drunken nights out' and its associated problems.

As explored previously, Drinkaware has some way to go to convince many in the public health community it has a valuable role to play in reducing alcohol harms. To what extent this work may help with that will remain to be seen. Regardless, Drinkaware remain the key player when it comes to ability to deliver messages to drinkers - whatever the effect may be.

Requirements for licensed premises including promotion of smaller measures: revised Mandatory Conditions Guidance

Changes to the 'mandatory code' for licensed premises come into force from 1st October 2014, as outlined in updated Home Office guidance. The amendments include stronger wording prohibiting 'irresponsible promotions' and ensuring customers are made aware of smaller measures being available.   

The five mandatory licensing conditions now stipulate: 

• various requirements preventing 'irresponsible promotions'
• an age verification policy must be in place
• mandatory provision of free tap water
• the mandatory provision and now promotion of smaller measures such as 125ml wine measures
• prohibiting the sale of alcohol below 'cost' (defined as the level of duty plus VAT)

A key change includes the requirement for on-trade premises to make customers aware of smaller measures 'on menus, price lists or other printed material'. Where customers do not specify a size, they must be 'made aware of the range of measures available' either 'verbally or by ensuring they have seen the printed materials'. 

Previously the code was worded so that premises 'shall take all reasonable steps' to stop irresponsible promotions, but now premises 'must' ensure promotions such as drinking games, free drinks or other activities that might undermine the licensing objectives are not carried out. A previous separate condition banning alcohol being poured directly into customers’ mouths has now been integrated within the 'irrepsonsible promotions' condition.

The 'mandatory code' has previously been criticised by sections of the on-trade who have lost significant ground to off-trade sales but have greater regulatory responsibilities. This week the Morning Advertiser questioned the timing of the guidance 'just weeks before the law changes'. It also highlights concerns that a new factor in considering 'irresponsible promotions' could be a 'significant increase in customers', which some state is core to all promotions. The guidance state this as one of several considerations of what 'irresponsible promotions' might include.

The below cost ban is almost certainly not going to affect any on-trade sales, especially as it is unclear if any off-trade sales are even affected. It was estimated the ban would only affect 0.7% of alcohol units sold, whilst a recent Dispatches report found no drinks below the thresholds. The below cost ban was introduced as part of the mandatory code earlier this year following the Government's u-turn on minimum unit pricing.

All Home Office licensing guidance can be accessed here, including revised guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003.