Not drinking up time yet
With no surprise whatsoever, the Government’s new laws on alcohol turn out to be weaker than a non-alcoholic Becks. In fact, this is pretty much the wussiest attempt at dealing with the alcohol problem that could have been managed. A snip at the off-licence hours, a move to remove booze from open sale in convenience stores, a few CCTV cameras outside nightclubs, and a promise to actually enforce legislation already passed that allow on-the-spot fines, and seizing of alcohol on the street.
And, thankfully, they’re cracking down on theatre licences. Well, by cracking down they mean they’ll make it harder for them to get one. Thank God they’re finally hitting those theatres hard. Dens of iniquity the lot of them. Especially those specialising in early European avant-garde. Louts.
So, a pointless exercise all round. They listened to the recommendations of the Alcohol Advisory Group, and then went ahead and ignored several of them. The Government goes on about changing this country’s attitude to alcohol, but it’s unable to change its own attitude to publicans and the drinks industry.
And it means that in a week that a HSE report gave some stark facts about the impact of alcohol in Ireland, the drinks industry will continue its mealy-mouthed defence of itself. It claims it is responsible in all it does, when it continues to target young drinkers through sponsorship and multi-coloured rocket fuel. Frankly, when you have the drink industry and vintners welcoming legislation aimed at tackling the alcohol problem, you can be sure it has nothing to do with their own changing attitudes and more to do with how watered down the legislation is.
isn’t a ‘theatre license’ just the fake-ish name given to licenses places that used to be theatres and are now clubs have? (Hence the reason The Tivoli et al can stay open later than ze norm?)
But yes, all round, a pointless exercise like you said.
Although CCTV is important - how does it stop people getting drunk again?
Comment by UnaRocks | April 24, 2008 at 11:04 amI was in Australia recently where the sale of “shots” is generally not allowed in pubs and nightclubs, bars shut at 12pm sharp (as in you’re out on the street at 12 - no such thing as drinking up time), and any kind of loutish drunken behaviour will get you thrown out - immediatley. It first struck me as a fun-free police state…but I have to say it worked. We had many an enjoyable drunken evening, but we never saw one fight, nor did we witness anyone throwing up outside (or inside!)and the hangovers were practically non-existant. Truly a holiday!!
Comment by Lianne | April 24, 2008 at 11:15 amYeah, the “theatre” licence is the one used by places like the Tivoli and Olympia to keep their bars open late. Remember all the fuss when HQ/Spirit/Spirit 57/The Academy tried to pass itself off as a theatre to avail of that special licence?
Comment by Jim Carroll | April 24, 2008 at 11:18 amUna, There was a loophole in the law in which those classified as theatres didn’t need special exemption orders to open late night bars. This will mean they’ll have to go to a district judge to get one now. Given the talk about how to deal with opening hours generally, whether they should be staggered etc, this seems to be a pretty minor adjustment aimed at clamping down on a small number of venues.
Jim, I worked in HQ. It used to try and pass itself off as an entertaining rock and roll museum too.
Lianne, when I was in Australia nine years ago I just missed getting hit by a bottle. Saw a couple of bar room brawls.
Comment by Shane | April 24, 2008 at 11:18 amDo you know the laws applying to restaurants on Good Friday? They can serve wine, but only with the food and it must be finished up within half and hour of the meal. So all you need of a Good Friday night is a restaurant booking and and a volunteer to keep chewing the last morsel while the rest of ye get wasted.
Comment by Green Ink | April 24, 2008 at 11:45 amOr you can travel on the train. The queue for the Belfast express is a sight to behold.
Comment by Shane | April 24, 2008 at 11:50 amYea Lianne, you must have been lucky. They love’d a good drunken brawl when I was in Oz.
Comment by Darragh | April 24, 2008 at 11:50 amThat’s the first time I’ve ever heard Australia being put forward as a model of mild-mannered sobriety. It was like the Wild West when I was there.
Comment by Neill | April 24, 2008 at 1:28 pmYeah I was equally surprised I was there 5 years ago and it was pretty rough. I think that’s what impressed (read - secretly disapointed)me so much!!
Comment by Lianne | April 24, 2008 at 1:52 pmCan someone confirm where in Australia this bastion of sobriety, piety and early closing is?
I get phone calls from all manners of people during Corrie boasting about how they are just leaving a night club.
Comment by markg | April 24, 2008 at 4:44 pm