Police chief calls for time on happy hours

A senior police chief has called for a complete ban on discounted drinks, happy hours and alcohol advertising.

The call comes in the wake of an increase in the number of women being arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

Mike Craik, the Chief Constable of Northumbria said in the Times that more needed to be done about under-age drinking which would include "rigorous action on the price of alcohol and a ban on advertising".

"There should also be an end to two-for-one deals, happy hours and supermarkets selling alcohol at below cost prices. There should be a ban on alco-pops." Craik said.

According to figures revealed on Friday (2 May) that 5,891 women were detained for alcohol related offences in the first 11 months of last year, compared with 3,847 in 2003-04, a 53% rise.

Neil Williams, communications manager at the British Beer & Pub Association, defended the pub trade's approach to happy hours.

"Our members and their pubs have put a stop to these kind of two for one offers. In reality, cheap alcohol is to be found in the deep discounting supermarkets, and pubs are having a very tough time."

Read the full article in the Times here >>

Read more on binge-drinking here >>

Government looks to new rules on alcohol promotions >>

Beer group wants minimum price on all alcohol sales >>

Tories propose high taxes on strong alcohol >>

By Christopher Walton

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