IAS Attacks Government Proposals for 24 Hour Drinking

IAS Attacks Government Proposals for 24 Hour Drinking

Government proposals for 24 hour drinking are against both public opinion and the public interest, the IAS commented today.

The views of the IAS are in line with those of other critics,
notably the British Entertainment and Discotheque Association, some of
the London Boroughs, and resident’s associations, who also argue that
taken as a whole the Government’s plans would give a major boost to the
yob culture while simultaneously reducing the ability of local residents
to protect themselves against it.

The IAS submission on the Governments proposals, Time for
Reform, includes evidence from other countries suggesting that
abolishing pub closing times, far from reducing problems of crime and
disorder as the Government claims, will probably make them worse. The
IAS argues that, in contradiction to the Government’s proposals, local
communities should have the power to decide closing times.

However, the IAS supports some of the proposals contained in
the White Paper, such as giving local authorities more control of
licensing and the police more powers to close troublesome pubs.

A full copy of the submission

“Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of Our Licensing Laws“, is available in (pdf 68kb).