What is it with this Government and its obsession with telling people what to do? These alcohol ideas have been brewing for some time if you pardon the pun, and they're nuts. Apparently they plan to ban the use of the name "Sex on the Beach" (a well known cocktail recipe). Will it stop people drinking? Of course not, they will do it at home instead.
The thing is, when you read between the lines of some of these ideas what they're actually in effect doing is bringing in price controls by the backdoor. By banning a pub from setting its own prices in order to increase business they are effectively tinkering with the businesses ability to do business.
How strange the past few months have been, we've seen the nationalisation of banks (hailed as necessary to save us all) and now we're starting to see the implementation of regulations on businesses to decide how much or how little they wish to charge for their goods.
Perhaps we should call the principle progressive regressivism?
8 comments:
But is it acceptable that the amount of police, ambulance and hospital resources that are occupied by people who have been drinking particularly late at night and during the night?
Should anywhere selling drink be taxed heavily to cover the costs of this? Or perhaps a heavy fine for being drunk in a public place so the drinkers cover the cost.
I don't drink but why should I pay taxes to cover the side effects of heavy drinking? If I call for police or ambulance late at night they might be delayed because they are busy dealing with some drunks.
Hi Dizzy. I agree with your thoughts on this.
Given that, I would be interested to know your views on the legalisation of drugs. I cannot recall having seen you comment on this topic before (apologies if you have, I may have missed it).
It would be perfectly acceptable if the people using them were paying for them directly. In fact, I would modestly suggest that if they were, there might be rather less drunken rowdiness about. And that would be a rather less draconian way to address the problem than price controls.
On the one hand, this Government caused the problem by relaxing the rules on oepning times, and now they wish to seek control over the problem they have created by hiking he price up on booze. you couldn't make it up.
After the smoking ban, a lot of us said this wouldn't be far behind. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. At what stage will we not be able to drink in pubs any longer? It can't be far off.
To Anonymous-
No it's not acceptable but it is a consequence of the powers that be allowing the sheeple out once a week to get bladdered.
I live in a town that has been designated as suitable for thousands of people to descend on in order to piss their blues away. There is an A&E handy for the poor sods who overdo it.
I did all my drinking in my 20s so I leave it to the others, but I am as pissed off as Dizzy that the state is taking control of the drinking habits of the nation.
They control the where, the when and now the how.
They'll never nationalise the why
The bar my daughter works at is too posh (aye, reet, in Glasgie?) to serve "Sex on a Beach" - they serve exactly the same cocktail but call it an "OC Cooler".
All the world is but spin ...
You make a fair point, diz, but what is the answer to the 'Wild West' ?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3196124/24-hour-drinking-makes-towns-like-the-Wild-West.html
I drink more than the government would like me to. I do it at home. I don't disturb the neighbours, I don't get sick and need an ambulance. Worst case is, I have a stonking hangover next day and that doesn't happen often.
So, yeah, I'd like the government to stop bugging me!!!!
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