Fines for serving drunks
From today, bar staff whom serve already drunk customers face being slapped with a £80 fine.
The new fixed penalty notices will also be rolled out against children who are caught buying alcohol, with under-18s facing a £50 fine and under-16s facing one of £30.
The police already have the right to penalise drunk and disorderly behaviour with fines.
Although the Home Office is an advocate of more flexible opening hours, it believes the measures will help reduce binge-drinking ahead of 24-hour licensing, due to start in November.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said the new fines system sent out a clear message that if the law was broken, “both parties must pay a price”.
“Along with tough measures in the licensing act, these new penalty notices will give police further tools to tackle alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder head-on,” she said.
“The result will be more freedom for responsible adults and tougher treatment for the yobbish minority.”
Meanwhile, the Government is expected to recommend fundamental changes to the design of city centres in a bid to defeat the perceived epidemic of binge-drinking and anti-social behaviour in Britain.
The Home Affairs Select Committee is expected to recommend on Tuesday that city centres be transformed from ‘no go’ areas into places where both young and old can visit safely.
