Stop-tap call on cheap booze at Swansea nightspots
SWANSEA is being urged to call time on irresponsible booze promotions in its pubs and clubs — or face the ticking time bomb of excessive drinking.
Bosses at Alcohol Concern have attacked the city's bars for its promotions as they say it is creating an unsafe drinking culture — leading to serious long-term health problems.
Bold measures have been called for to help reduce harmful drinking.
They have made the call for action to be taken in the wake of the charity's report, entitled Counting the Cost: Irresponsible Alcohol Promotions in the Night-time Economy in Wales.
Its findings are based on a survey of pubs and clubs in Swansea, Newport, and Wrexham. The report showed more than half of premises were offering some form of booze-related promotion, and some alcoholic drinks were priced less than the cheapest soft drink.
A series of promotions were discovered at Swansea's venues, included two-for-one and half-price deals, along with four shots for £10 and four pints for £5. Reflex in Wind Street offered cider for £1 a pint but their cheapest soft drink was £1.40.
It also emerged that there were five venues selling shots of spirits for £1.
The Bank Statement, also in Wind Street, was selling bottles of lager for 99p, and three other venues were offering £1 a pint deals on lager and cider.
Andrew Misell, Alcohol Concern policy manager, said: "It is clear promotions that encourage people to drink more are common within the night-time economy in Wales.
"With pints available for just £1, a woman could drink more than twice the recommended daily amount of alcohol — the usual definition of a binge — for just £3 and a man could binge for as little as £4.
"We'd like to see pubs and clubs competing on the basis of facilities, entertainment and atmosphere, rather than who can offer the cheapest booze."
City GP Dai Lloyd, who is also AM for South Wales West, added: "I believe a minimum pricing policy for alcohol would help, in conjunction with other measures, in trying to solve the issue of over consumption.
"The pricing structure would have to look at deterring individuals from buying drinks that are currently available very cheaply at supermarkets and pubs, while also being mindful of not penalising responsible drinkers."
Grey Phillips, Swansea branch secretary of the trade organisation the Licensed Victuallers' Association (LVA), which represents self-employed licensees, added: "My members are tenants and are not managers, they are licencees of drink companies — they are tied to buying at a certain rate.
"These clubs buy such volume they can have special offers on. The supermarkets are selling drinks at a loss.
"The outlets need to be monitored more strongly.
"Prices have to be consistent throughout.
"Maybe putting the price up would stop some people from drinking, but not all."
Eddie Gershon, a spokesman for JD Wetherspoon, which runs the Bank Statement in Swansea, said: "Just because a pint is 99p, it does not equal problems.
"More to the point, our staff would not let anyone drink more than they should.
"We take on board their viewpoint, but we do not believe the prices at our pubs in Swansea relate to any issues."
No-one from Reflex was available for comment at the time of going to press.
elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk
9 Comments
by Tea Totaler, Swansea
Friday, February 19 2010, 4:41PM
“S, Swansea - Why haven't you included the well known comedy clubs, County Hall and the Guildhall, in your list!? Some members of these two 'clubs', appear to give the impression of being drunk in the judgements some members make!”
by S, Swansea
Friday, February 19 2010, 2:37PM
“There are at least 3 comedy clubs in Swansea, all on a different night. There are plenty of music venues as well.
It doesnt matter how much the drinks cost, it just helps the bars get punters to their particular bar. If all the drinks in Swansea cost the same you'd still have the irresponsible drunks getting into fights or parading around half naked on Wind St or the Kingsway. Most people can have a drink and not cause chaos, its just the minority of people who dont know when to stop.”
by Charlotte, Swansea
Thursday, February 18 2010, 12:26PM
“Jerry that is not true. There is the Garage comedy club in the uplands, The hanbury on the kingsway that do bands as well as the down stairs part of no sign wine bar, the adam and eve on high st and the Manselton pub in Manselton who have a live band every friday and there are many more. You just need to look outside of wind st to see these places.”
by Charlotte, Swansea
Thursday, February 18 2010, 12:23PM
“Lets face it the prices are not the issue. People will go out and have a drink regardless of the prices and will still get blind drunk regardless if they have to pay £1 for a bottle of beer or £3.
More people need to be educated on safe drinking and knowing their limits and also bar staff need to identify who has had too much and is making a nusiance of themselves wether it be falling all over the place and taking other people or tables with them or acting violently. They should be ejected from the premesis and refused entry to any other pub as all bouncers on Wind St are linked and a message could easily be passed to each other warning them of this person they have ejected.
Society needs to change not the prices and its unfair that people that do go out and enjoy themselves have to penalised for the people that cannot handle their drink and are a menace to others that are trying to have a good night out!”
by Jerry Mander, *
Thursday, February 18 2010, 12:20PM
“There's nothing else to do in Swansea apart from get steaming, no decent live music scene, no comedy clubs etc.
Only plastic chain bar after bar.”
by Dai R Straits, Uplands
Thursday, February 18 2010, 10:43AM
“I enjoy a drink out on Wind Street at the weekend to help relax and maybe go and support a local band. To he honest there isn¿t much else to do on a rainy night in Swansea. I don¿t see the council providing a range of alternative social or sporting venues, in fact they are closing them! However, I don¿t really need people like Heather telling me and my friends are evil. You will find the people irresponsible through alcohol are the same ones who are irresponsible without a drink anyway! Clubs run promotions because, in the current economic climate, they need people through the door. I suspect they are running on tight margins and we should support all local businesses.”
by Heather, Mumbles
Thursday, February 18 2010, 9:49AM
“Drink, like drugs, are an "evil" within our society. Drink is a menace which causes a lot of pain to those who are involuntarily involved; not to mention the problems it causes the drinker.
Why do people need to get drunk? The simple things in life should be sufficient to nourish your soul. Shouldn't they?”
by Gaynor, Swansea
Thursday, February 18 2010, 9:11AM
“I wish pubs would have low prices and promotions on soft drinks. Not everyone needs alcohol to have a good time. The prices are enough to turn you to drink!”
by Huw, Ammanford
Wednesday, February 17 2010, 10:09PM
“This is a planet check.
The same people who gave us 24hr opening are now saying that cheap booze is causing problems?”