However, Ministers have concluded that there are no adverse effects from the 24-hour Licensing Laws. Their results show:- no increase in drinking and no increase in alcohol-related crime. This is despite the police telling us that services are suffering because staff have to be moved from day time duty to cover drink hot spots at night, Ambulance Services reporting a 12 percent increase in alcohol-related calls and A & E staff reporting an increase in abuse and violence towards nursing staff.
I think Ministers need to walk along some of our City streets on a Friday and Saturday night to see the results of extended Licensing hours - where people are fighting, vomiting or falling about from the effects of excessive alcohol and where most citizens fear to tread least they become victims of abuse or violence.
1 comment:
Britain will always be influenced by booze, Ale was safer than water, pubs were at one time essential. Think Hogarth and the Gin epidemic, it is in our fabric, we have it imprinted into our genetics. This isn't a great reflection of our state, however I don't think 24 hour drinking can be blamed for this. We as a nation have to take responsibility, it can't be blamed on central government. On the other-hand I can see that being a nurse , doctor or porter on the night shift my view on the front line wears a little thin. We either decide to ban it or deal with it. Besides it seems a bit of a myth about pubs being open 24 hours. Besides Van Gogh and Gaugan famously binged it didn't do them any harm?
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