Government bungle lets night clubs off the hook

1.01.34pm GMT Mon 21st Feb 2005

Bath's MP, Don Foster, who is Liberal Democrat Culture Secretary, has revealed that a Government bungle has led to a serious flaw in a key component of their "binge drinking crackdown."

The new inner-city licence fee 'escalator', which is already legally in force and is meant to help "deliver tougher protections� against alcohol related crime and disorder and public nuisance" applies to pubs - but not to nightclubs!

Commenting, Don Foster MP, said:

"People are fed up with yobbish behaviour outside nightclubs, and this is a clear case where the 'polluter pays' principle should be used - but Government incompetence has let nightclubs off the hook.

"It's so incredulous, that one entertainment group congratulates itself on its website for 'playing a blinder' by fooling the Government.

"Bath's police have informed me that one of their peaks of activity on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights is 1 am when people begin to leave the night clubs.

"Of course, some people have been drinking in pubs before they go to clubs, but if the clubs then continue to allow people to buy alcohol then they must also accept their share of the responsibility."

"The Liberal Democrats have demanded a vote on the fee legislation. But due to the Government's late realisation of the cost of binge drinking, this vote will bizarrely occur weeks after the law comes into force.

"Every stage of the Government's plans for longer licensing hours has been poorly thought through.

"Now Ministers should urgently consider delaying the implementation of these plans to allow police and Local Authorities more time to prepare."