Pub trade 'will have an input over new laws'

“"... levy would not apply to hotels, theatres, cinemas, bingo halls and amateur sports clubs, at the discretion of the council."

So how many pubs will become sports clubs with the re-introduction of the darts/euchre/snooker/tiddlywinks/pole-dancing teams?”

“Sorry!! did drinking suddenly become a neccessity.”

“I often finish work just before midnight and like to have a few drinks afterwards every now and then. Hopefully this will not prevent bars (city centre/North Hill at least) from remaining open until 2am.”

“Is this not just another excuse to pinch the pockets of the publicans and squeeze freedom of choice from the individual????
I for one work very strange hours one week to the next and therefore my ability to go out for a drink is also scattered. Sometimes I finish work around 6 and if I feel like a drink, I can be in the pub for 7 - 7:30, then another time I could be working until late and am unable to go for drink until after 11pm.
It isn't the times that are the problem, it's the whole public attitude to drinking - binge drinking in particular. I for one feel this is not the right road to take and a better review of public attitude needed.”

“they'll just do what they've always done......pull the curtains and lock the front door at 23.59”

“This really will be the death of the 'Pub'.”

“When most places closed at 12 and only the clubs opened til 2am I remember most would simply go out earlier. I used to be cracking a can at around 6 and be in the pubs by 7pm along with the majority. Now you'll find most people will go out later, for me it's around 9pm. Go into any pub in town at 7 and it'll be dead. By cutting back opening times people will just resume going out earlier. As urbanpirate said people will still drink the same amount it'll just be at an earlier time. Not really resulting in much change.”

“its hard to comment on such a thing as late night drinking as there are pro's and there are cons. I personally think its not the time of which you can order a pint which is the problem it is peoples attitudes to drinking and im afraid that is enshrined in our culture. If anything needs addressing it is that.

Iv just done a quick search online to find if any studies have researched the effects of the law change in 2005, but i couldn't really find any, and the analysis's i did find were dated as 2007. I would like to see some comparisons of ASB, crimes, accidents from before 2005 and now relating to the effects of later licensing. if someone could point me in the direction of some stats that would be much appreciated.

Pros of late night drinking,

-people feel less compelled to drink quickly
-There is no last rush to the bar, reducing the chance of conflict
-the hoards of people no longer all pile into the street at the same time, reducing chance of conflict with people over taxis, food queues and general drunken nonsense.
-people DO NOT just keep drinking because they can (well some do). There limits are the same and financial restraints still exist. Not to mention hunger.
-people are allowed to come and go in a more fluid manner.

as for cons i suppose you will see increases in problems later into the night, some people will abuse it, some people just don't know when to stop.

reduce "time" city wide to say midnight, people will still get drunk, they will just get drunk earlier and quicker. I usually struggle to make it past 2am on a night out and send my self home around then, regardless that i could keep on drinking closer to 4am.

Obviously there will be problem areas and bars and having said what iv said above if these new laws make it easier to control them then more for it i would say.

keep it civil folks.”

“A good move in the right direction. EMROs are the best option for controlling ASB in the streets and its associated crime. I like the idea of some of the proceeds of EMRO's going to police who need the resources for increased patrols and drink-related responses in the early hours.”