Wetherspoon boss slams pub 'entrapments' – For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say

Wetherspoon boss denounces pub ‘entrapment' campaigns
Tim Martin, chairman of the JD WetherspoonScotland on Sunday](http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/), 24 February

No benefits from licensing changes, says Home Office review
A Home Office review of the impact of 24-hour drinking in England and Wales will concede on Tuesday that the policy has failed to reduce alcohol-fuelled crime or change drinking patterns. Although the report shows that, overall, crime is down by 3%, it also finds that serious crime has been displaced to the early hours of the morning. In a survey of 30 police forces, drink-related crime grew by just 1% between 6pm and 6am - but increased by 22% between 3am and 6am. This accounted for more than 10,000 additional offences in the year after the licensing rules were relaxed. Serious violent offences, including murder and wounding, grew by 25% (or nearly 4,000 extra crimes). Up to 16% of people in most areas were found to be drinking more than ever. The report is part of a review of the 2003 Licensing Act ordered by the Prime Minister last year, which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is expected to announce in the next few days. - [The Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/), 24 February

Police - call time on 24-hour licensing The Police Federation is calling for the abolition of 24-hour licensing as new figures revealed that 12 of the 22 police forces in England and Wales had seen alcohol-related crimes grow by an average 46% to 13,500 incidents a month by the end of last year. Separate figures reveal that 16 forces reported a 5% rise in alcohol-related assaults, harassment and criminal damage crimes since the legislation came into force in November 2005. Anti-social behaviour linked to alcohol in Durham grew by 300% to 686 in October, compared with 165 in December 2005, while 378 incidents in Humberside in one month was 15 times higher than the 23 recorded in November 2005. Cheshire, however, reported a sharp fall in incidents. The Police Federation said that staggered closing times stretched the problems over a longer period, putting police resources under considerable pressure. The Home Office said its own research last year showed a drop in some crimes. - - The Times, 23 February

Labour MPs support new rights for agency workers
In defiance of the Government, 136 Labour MPs have supported the second reading of a backbench Bill that will give new rights to 1.4 million agency workers. The Government is drawing up a commission to study workers' rights and Gordon Brown plans to meet unions on Monday to discuss the idea. Business groups have warned the measures would threaten 250,000 jobs. John Cridland, deputy director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said: "Temps have extensive rights covering minimum wage, working time, paid holiday, and health and safety. Enforcement of those rules, rather than new ones, is the best way to protect a minority of exploited workers." - [Daily Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/), 23 February

Colin Halpern sells two million Domino's shares for £4m-plus
The vice-chairman of Domino's Pizza, Colin Halpern, netted more than £4m after selling two million shares at 206p. Halpern, who bought the Domino's master franchise for the UK and Ireland from its US parent in 1993, retains 13 million shares in the pizza home delivery chain. - Daily Telegraph, 23 February

By Angela Frewin

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