Given the huge rise in drink fuelled problems in our communities up and down the country, I firmly believe that it is time to rein back in Labour’s licensing laws and take tough action against the uncontrolled spread in binge-drinking. The latest Home Office crime figures have revealed that last year (2008-09) there were 1,800 violent attacks in Harlow and 1,474 in the Epping Forest district. Based on Government surveys of crime victims, this suggests that 846 of the Harlow attacks and 693 of the Epping Forest incidents could have been alcohol-related.
There is growing concern about the overlapping problems of late-night drinking, fast-food outlets selling alcohol at night, under-age drinking, the easy availability of high-strength alcohol, and retailers like supermarkets selling alcohol below cost-price. Labour’s licensing laws, which came into effect in 2005, have created a presumption in favour of alcohol licences being given out, and imposed tight restrictions on who can object to any licensing application. The Police Federation has warned that the need to police town centres around the clock is making it harder to answer emergency calls elsewhere.
It is good that Conservative leader David Cameron has explained how the Conservative Party will tackle the problems of binge-drinking Britain. Measures include:
* Stronger powers and more discretion for elected local councils, and a greater say for local residents on licensing applications.
* Tougher penalties for premises which sell alcohol to under-age drinkers.
* Reviewing the rules which allow fast food outlets like kebab shops to sell alcohol into the early hours.
* Changing the law to stop the ‘loss-leading’ sale of alcohol by retailers.
* Rebalancing the duty on alcohol: reducing rates on low-alcohol beers and ciders, and increasing it on very high-strength products (the likes of Tennent’s Super) and on alcopops.
The truth is that Labour’s licensing laws are too lax. We don’t want a return to the old days where every pub shut at 11pm. But local councils like Harlow and Epping Forest need greater powers to tackle the binge-drinking and violence that plague our town centres. The reckless sale of high-strength, bargain-basement alcohol is damaging health and fuelling violence.
Socially responsible adults should be able to have a night out without fear of violence. Parents should be reassured that their children are not going to come to harm.
The community pubs in Harlow, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering should not be tarred with the same brush as irresponsible ‘vertical drinking’ bars or fast food outlets peddling booze into the early hours.
We need to make our town centres feel safe at night once again.
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