Oh, oh: Pubs to scrap Happy Hour drinks

Pubs to scrap Happy Hour drinks

Thousands of pubs across the UK are to end "Happy Hour" promotions as part of a campaign to curb binge drinking.
The ban is being introduced by all 32,000 members of the British Beer and Pub Association.


Binge drinking costs the UK around £20bn each year

The association says it hopes the measures will help combat the increase in binge drinking and anti-social behaviour.

The government estimates the problem of binge-drinking costs Britain about £20bn a year.

The scale and cost of drinking in the UK

Other cheap and free drinks deal may be axed as part of the campaign.

Association spokesman Mark Hastings told the BBC News website that happy hours had no place in the industry and pub companies wanted to encourage people to enjoy themselves responsibly.


"Our members have committed themselves to stop running promotions which can fuel excessive drinking and we're looking for support from the government and the police.

"Clearly there's been a lot of debate around binge drinking and anti-social behaviour and happy hours have been highlighted as one of the reasons for this. That's why we decided to take this step.

"I don't think it's a silver bullet solution but it will certainly have an impact."

Among those joining the campaign are all pubs owned by Carlsberg, Heineken, Scottish and Newcastle, Youngs, Theakston and Diageo, the paper reported.

The All Bar One, Slug and Lettuce and Pitcher and Piano groups are also taking part.

The association is also calling on all pubs and supermarkets which sell cut-price alcohol to follow its example.

'Positive engagement

A Home Office spokesman said the government backed efforts to end "speed drinking".

"The government supports the drinks industry in working towards ending promotions which encourage speed drinking, including all-you-can-drink and other Happy Hour sales," he said.

"We welcome the British Beer and Pub Association's positive engagement with this issue."

Earlier this year the home affairs select committee said it wanted to see an end to cheap drinks promotions thought to encourage binge-drinking.

Committee chairman John Denham said: "The attention on 24-hour licensing misses the point - problems of disorder are occurring now.

"The underlying problem is of too many people drinking heavily in small geographical areas."

He said longer term policy should be on proper city planning "with diverse activities supported by adequate transport and other facilities".