Thetownend.com

Gordon Brown has been urged to consider plans to ban under 21s from buying alcohol in off licenses to try and combat rising alcohol related violence.
The Prime Minister has received the advice from Merseyside chief constable, Bernard Hogan-Howe.
The relative cost of alcohol has come down whilst the number of off-licence points of sale has increased significantly.
Merseyside chief constable, Bernard Hogan Howe.
Hogan Howe said: “My suggestions are to restrict the sale of alcohol to young people through off-licences and to come down hard on adults who go into off-licences to buy alcohol and hand it over to youngsters in the street.”
“The relative cost of alcohol has come down whilst the number of off-licence points of sale has increased significantly.
"There is no longer a test to see whether an area ‘needs’ a new off-licence. The control of the sale of alcohol is then left in the hands of young and low paid staff.
"I have also suggested reducing the points of sale, increasing prices and allowing home deliveries only during the day.”
Under the plans 18-21s would still be allowed to drink in pubs clubs and restaurants.

wont work.drugs are illegal but it doesn't stop people taking them.if kids want to drink,they will.

Fucking hell, people can be blown to pieces in Afghanistan and Iraq (serving and dying for "the crown") but they can't walk into an off license and buy a four pack of stella.

Fucks sake this is a crazy country.

In the Windsor area we have a lot of problems with youths around 17-20 age group, they congregate around shops late at night and in the parks, they are a bloody nuisance, when they've had a few cans of beer the becomevery mouthy and can also get pretty violent.
The parks are trashed - broken or burnt benches, and litter especially cans are just thrown all over the place. I really think it would be a great idea to ban under 21s buying alcohol from off-liences.

No logic at all. The premise that not letting them buy alcohol from offies (only one particular vendor of alcohol, remember) means they won't obtain said alcohol is wrong. They'll still get it. As Arriba says.

did you read arribas post. If people want alcahol they'll get it, either via parents, older friends, or fake i.d's.

Surely the answer is to find them something to do, not prohibition. That and a bit of education on alcohol. There seem to be alot of problems like this nowadays and the issue needs addressing from the root cause not somewhere else down the line. Kids need to be set a good example by their parents and brought up with the value of respect for others and surroundings reinstated. That and given a more relevant education.

Yes I read Arribas post - if youths really want to get there hands on booze they will - but it also states if it is from there parents the parents will be fined them as well. It also states of punishing those over age who purchase booze for those under age.

I know it will be very hard to police, but the situation in towns and villages is getting out of control and you have to start somewhere.

Hello Gerald


 :D

Its a no brainer.  IMHO if they really tightened up on ID, they could lower the age to 16 (frankly what 16yr old doesn't get booze anyway) but restrict it to beer and cider - in my experiences it was always messy when people tried spirits - it's a hell of a lot easier to get smashed quickly.

The inconsistencies are stupid - you cna get married, be in the army, but you can't vote or legally drink.

Yes that sounds about right, trouble is the homelife has changed so much in the last 25 years, you normally have both parents working these days or in a large percentage of cases the parents are no longer together and little Jimmy and Sally get away with murder because mum is too scared to do anything about it.

 :nono:

Very hard to police? Almost impossible, unless a copper witnesses the adult handing the alcohol over. Silly idea.

And it's worth noting that Brown has been asked to "consider" these plans, and that the quotes come from a chief constable and a merely suggestions - pretty unlikely that any of it will happen.

You say yourself that it will hardly make a difference - don't you think small measures like this are inappropriate for such a big problem - if you want to solve it, it must be addressed at the root FIRST.

Remember we are just another American state, you have to be 21 to drink over there, it will happen.
Also obtaining cigarettes you will have to be 18 will come in as well.

 :D  :wink:

Both parents may work but someone brings the kids up don't they, it's here that core values are instilled. And I don't buy the view that because parents are busy working they can let their kids be little shits.

Nor is "Mum is too scared to do anything about it" a valid excuse for their behaviour. Seeing a family with 4 kids on the train the other day made me think that perhaps some people really don't want or aren't suited to or ready for kids but assume its the 'done thing'. The Dad really wasn't into it, and four was too many for them to manage (financially and practically).

Hmm, I see no link between American laws and ours - they have the state system for a start which means laws are different all over the place. In some states its younger than 21 to drink, and I expect in the one's where it is 21 there's plenty of flaunting of the age restrictions - they really aren't that effective.

Agree with the ciggies and wouldn't be surprised if they made it 21 soonish.

 :nuts:

The US are really strict on alcohol actually.  Anyone looking up to 30 ish gets ID'd, I have been everytime I've been over there (last time being 29).  A totally different culture towards drink exists as well, hence the Spring Break thing over there, where the 21 year olds really do celebrate being able to buy their first drinks.  In the home it may be different, but is certainly policed by the licensee quite strictly.  Shame about their approach to guns really.

I don't agree with the principal idea though.  I thought the Police could use Dispersal Orders anyway.  It is quite odd how the culture of young teens gathering outside a Tesco Express continues to grow though.  I never could understand the draw behind it, maybe if some old grannies started hitting them with their bags, ala Monty Python, things would improve.

In the US me and my mate got served in California and New York, despite beign 23 and im looking quite young, without any ID checks, I kind of assumed this was primarily down to being English though.

Dell isnt Gerald

They'd probably just mug the grannies for their pension and use it to buy more mega white.

The US is a bloomin massive country, coupled with the different state laws, meaning that the ability to buy alcohol underage varies greatly. In cities its inevitably tougher but i'm sure there are plenty of parts where a 16 year old can walk into a shop and buy it very easily.

Again with culture, this varies considerably.

I know that Yeovil

I was just trying to draw comparison, as its just the sort of thing that Mr Phillips would jump on

Sounds like a decent bloke!!!

yep, there will be small differences in the regions, but in the UK is a countrywide culture right now, not just the teens outside shops.  I have to say I am a full part of that culture.

Could never understand the enjoyment of drinking at shops either, believe it or not there were kids hanging about Eldene shops on Christmas Day absolutely crazy.  

It just seems so pointless, can you imagine get into school on the Monday, so what did you do at the weekend? Got some booze and hung about outside a closed chippy and co-op it was mental  :|

I could understand it a bit more there if they got older folk to place bets at the bookies.  Shouldn't they be able to get a drink in the wramer surrounds of the Crumpled Horn anyway?

The Crumps a beautiful establishment had many a 'fun' night in there over the years.  There not too receptive to the kids in there and have had 1 or 2 run ins with them over the years.  

Unfortunately don't get to the crump much these days since moving to Old Town, I have heard its struggling and there looking to sell.  As you say the kids could be inventful and get someone to place a bet or do something constructive but there just a pain down there.

Personally didn't see the attraction at that age I was out playing footy with friends or playing computer games at friends houses.

now theres a pub that needs knocking down and rebuilding.what a shit hole!

a pub is only as good as the customers it attracts, which is mostly down to the people running it.  Used to be ok for a bit but is right hole now, with Kareoke pretty much every night it seems.  I haven't been in there for a few years now.

Crumps alright the landlords a good bloke and the people are generally friendly.  It has a reputation for the trouble that breaks out but most of the time its relatively trouble free.  It got alot worse when they closed down The Shaftesbury and the Cock Robin as people started heading over and it caused trouble between regulars and the new people.  Overall I would describe it as an English version of Cheers  :D

Shitest idea ever. The way to stop drunken kiddie madness isn't stopping them drinking. It's teaching them to drink properly. Encourage parents to allow 14-16 year olds to have a drink with a meal, have wine tasting at school. Anything which takes away the we're not supposed to do this mystery.

Holiday Showdown last night

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

I can picture it now!

"GCSE Wine Tasting"  :D

twas ace, liked the way the two young lads slyed off on their own and the white one came back cunted, ace  8)

what a cracking idea.  Had a wine tasting day a couple of months ago, great fun and it really does make wine taste different when you do it properly.

I agree Rob.  Tastes much better although ended up horribly drunk by lunchtime as we had 7 wines per winery and did 5 wineries  :D

Thats work out to SIX bottles :chunder:

actually, combining these ideas could solve the original problem.  If they insist on drinking alcohol they should be made to binge until their livers give in.  That'll stop them.

You don't get a full glass of wine! Hence wine "tasting" not downing!   :mrgreen:

My idea was serious. What the fuck is Holiday Showdown? Be careful Fred. It sounds like something on ITV. You shouldn't watch ITV.