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Council cracks down on stores
Date published: 05/11/2009
OLDHAM supermarkets will become the first in the country to create alcohol zones and employ extra security as part of a council crackdown on cheap booze.
Trading standards officers are writing to 17 stores across Oldham setting out proposals to review their drinks licences. If any store wants to sell booze at less than 50p per unit they must stick to certain rules.
Proposals include the creation of in-store alcohol zones with no adverts allowed to run outside these areas and no under 18s allowed in the designated booze aisles.
Extra security officers must patrol the zone and stores must display clear responsible drinking messages as well as limiting the size of alcohol adverts in store.
Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said, “We don’t think the ‘pile it high — sell it cheap’ principle of supermarket retailing should apply to the responsible retailing of alcohol.
“While we accept that all shops must be free to compete with each other on price, we feel that this still requires social responsibility and that measures must be taken to limit the impact that this has on our communities.”
The move comes after the council completed licence reviews of all town centre bars and nightclubs that it considered to be using irresponsible drinks promotions.
Premises wanting to sell cheap alcohol had to take on measures such as post office style queues and fund extra door staff to ensure the safety of revellers.
Councillor Alcock added: “We’ve been extremely pleased with the positive response that we received from our town centre bars to our attempts to tackle irresponsible drinks promotions.
“However, they rightly pointed out that much of the problem our town centre faces with drunkenness and disorder stems from ‘pre-loading’ — where people are already drunk on cheap booze deals from supermarkets before even arriving in the town centre.
“Last Sunday, for example, in one Oldham supermarket I was able to purchase two litres of cider for £1.21, which equates to 14 pence per unit.”
The 50 pence per unit of alcoholic strength is lower than the level applied to the threshold for drinks promotions in the town centre.
In its response to the Government’s consultation on a series of mandatory conditions for drinks retailing, Oldham Council has expressed concern that the proposals fail to tackle the issue of promotions in off-licences.
Retailers have until the end of December to give their views on the proposals before the council considers whether to make changes to their drinks licences.
Have Your Say
The principle is right but this is a national issue only the government can sort out. Oldhamers will just go to supermarkets outside the borough to buy their cheap booze if this happens here. That will then hit the local economy and things won't be any different. Why should the law abiding majority in this economic crisis suffer because of the drunken minority ?
I presume this is to stop youngsters and binge drinking. Firstly, youngsters do not get their drinks from supermarkets but cornershops! Why should I be told I cannot take my child down a drinks aisle? Do you suggest I leave my child to roam around a supermarket alone whilst I buy a bottle of wine as a responsible adult? I for one will buy my food and take my son with me down the aisle and if told I cannot do this then my trolley will be left where it is and they lose my business. Simple.
Concentrate on the police by getting more real coppers out there on the beat and make oldham safer!
Stop using drink as the excuse for your and your predecessors' failures.
Perhap we can bring laws into force like Sweden has regarding alcohol which not only addresses price but strength. No alcohol over 3.5% can be sold in supermarkets it has to be bought at special shops where there are more controls.( ie opening times are restricted) This means local shops and supermarkets cannot sell most wines and spirits.
So as usual the minority cause the rest of us to be penalised by having to pay higher prices for our Xmas drinks.It is a good way for the government to rake in more money via VAT and that really is all this is about.People who like to get drunk and be anti social will i am sure carry on doing so regardless of the extra cost.What we need is for the punishment to fit the crime and just maybe things will get on the streets.
The liberals should stop booze being sold out of the back of taxis in their patch along with the local drug dealer who have their drop off point in Shaw.
LOL, as if the underage troublemaking drinkers buy their booze from supermarkets! Shaw has a huge problem with drunken teenage gangs congregating around Wrens nest but you will not see any of them in Asda buying alcohol. Come on Cllr Alcock, wake up.
Any group which takes the soft option of punishing the innocent majority because it won't deal with guilty, troublesome minorities, is clearly not fit for purpose. From 'rat on your neighbour' to being policed while shopping, revives the spectre of Thirties-Germany. What next - naked x-ray machines at checkout?
mush, I am a regular visitor to Sweden on business. What you say regarding supermarkets etc being restricted on the strengths of drinkk they sell is correct. But you fail to mention the other part of their law - alcohol carries a minimum price per strength, and the tax makes ours look charitable. Swedes earn roughly what we do but a pint in a standard bar in Gothenburg is over £5.
That will be fun if you are shopping in Tesco with the kids and want a bottle of wine!
By wabosso @ 05/11/2009 12:56:18
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