Forum Topic

isinglton off licence  not selling  high alcohol cheap beer

i  see  on  the  local  news  that isinglton off  licences and  other  outlets  are  to  stop  selling  cheap high ach vol beers which  acton  could follow

John Kennedy ● 4445d10 Comments

If it is a voluntary scheme it would most likely get a poor response from Acton off licenses. Judging by what most of them have stocked on their shelves and in their chillers the Street dinner is their main customer. So asking the "responsible" licence holder to turn away the bulk of their trade, by not stocking high % individual cans or bottles will not be met warmly.Licence holders do need to be brought to task though. How they can not realise the Street drinkers they sell alcohol to are not drunk when they buy it? Less alcohol licenses, more responsible licence holders = less street drinkers and the problems they bring

Fred Barker ● 4445d

good point

John Kennedy ● 4445d

Actually one of the Churchfield Community Association Exec, who has the licensing remit for us, has worked with the MillHill residents and police to get new licensees to make undertakings NOT to stock cheap strong beer and cider. Sometimes successfully.

Sara Nathan ● 4444d

That's for new licensees, which is all very well and good but the problem licence holders are long established and to get variations on an existing licence is a very long and laborious processIt may sound ridiculous to the community suffering from large scale alcohol related anti-social behaviour but if established licenses are changed to stop people selling these lagers and ciders and future licenses also prevent it then these licence holders can complain to the Competition and Marketing Authority, the old Monopolies and Mergers commotion. Saying that the council and police unfurl regulates what they can and cannot sell. Madness, but you can see the point

Fred Barker ● 4444d

*unfairly

Fred Barker ● 4444d

We think the Islington initiative is a great idea. When we applied for a licence to open Park+Bridge over a year ago we gave an undertaking that we wouldn't sell high strength alcohol in cans or pile up cases of wine or beer on the shop floor. Our spirits are in a lockable cupboard, we have CCTV and operate a strict challenge 25 policy - all of which we're very happy to do. The problem is getting existing licence holders to improve/upgrade/change. The pressure - as usual - needs to come from the spending public. According to recent research by Amex, good independent local shops have added £40k to the value of local houses in the last 10 years and will add another £70k in the next 10. So voting with your wallet and not using shops that help wreck a local area is doing more than improving just the street and surroundings.

Mike Taylor ● 4444d

The local police teams have been carrying out this approach since last year:"Following a successful project which originated outside the Metropolitan Police area, the borough are adopting the approach of “Reducing the Strength”. This operation engages with off-licence businesses with the aim of reducing the sale of “cheap, high strength” alcohol. This will be a voluntary commitment by the business owners and following polite negotiations by the ward team any enforcement action required through breach of licensing or other offences will be pursued through the borough licensing team."

Pete Grist ● 4443d

Completely agree with you and I personally do not support those shops on Churchfield Road selling the cheap alcohol. The problem is while we residents can help by voting with our wallets it’s the lower income rental tenants / itinerant workers who support these shops. There needs to be some regulation by the council as well to limit the supply. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to pick up empty lager cans on my way home from work (what’s with discarding them on the streets?)

Peter Truesdale ● 4443d

I agree - Acton Park yesterday was littered with empty beer cans - all strong, cheap brands. As long as there's a market for products to get people drunk as cheaply as possible, it'll be hard to dissuade shops from selling them for a quick profit.

Ben Smith ● 4443d

That is why licence holders need to be brought to task when they sell alcohol to drunks and under aged people. If people do notify the police and the council about licence holders breaking the law then maybe it will be a way of weeding out the irresponsible traders or at least putting them on the authorities radar.

Fred Barker ● 4438d