Will Newbury drunks be a thing of the past? Options

[GMR]

Courts get 'booze Asbo' powers

Drinkers in Newbury and a cross the country could be banned from pubs or off-licences for up to two years.
People in England and Wales who commit crimes or behave anti-socially while drunk could now face a Drinking Banning Order - or "booze Asbo".

Do you think this is a good idea… is it well over due? Will it work? How will this affect alcholics in Newbury and across the country? Newbury seems to be plagued with drunks walking through our town centre; will such behaviour become a thing of the past?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8227236.stm

[dannyboy]

Courts get 'booze Asbo' powers

Drinkers in Newbury and a cross the country could be banned from pubs or off-licences for up to two years.
People in England and Wales who commit crimes or behave anti-socially while drunk could now face a Drinking Banning Order - or "booze Asbo".

Do you think this is a good idea… is it well over due? Will it work? How will this affect alcholics in Newbury and across the country? Newbury seems to be plagued with drunks walking through our town centre; will such behaviour become a thing of the past?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8227236.stm

This reminds me of banning drivers who are caught joyriding.

'Coming out to nick a car tonight & 'ave some fun?'
'Nah, can't. I've lost my license'

[GMR]

This reminds me of banning drivers who are caught joyriding.

'Coming out to nick a car tonight & 'ave some fun?'
'Nah, can't. I've lost my license'

True

[dannyboy]

True

The law already provides adequate legislation to curb drunkeness. If a drunk wants a drink, but has been banned from buying alcohol then -

How will a shop know he has been banned & what will the penalties be for selling alcohol to a drunk?

What is to stop someone who has not been banned buying drink on behalf of the banned drinker & how will this be policed?

If the several current laws on drunkeness are not being used to stop such behaviour what makes anyone think this will be any better?

It is probably a round about way of getting ID cards accepted....

[Sarah]

Courts get 'booze Asbo' powers

How will this affect alcholics in Newbury and across the country?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8227236.stm

I don't suppose it will affect them very much. I would think that most of the drink fuelled offences that take place, are by people who feel they can only enjoy themselves, when they have had the proverbial skin-full. It also makes them feel a lot braver than when sober. I don't think many are what I would call alcoholics, I could be wrong of course.

As to whether or not it will work, no idea really, although I suppose every little bit helps

[GMR]

The law already provides adequate legislation to curb drunkeness. If a drunk wants a drink, but has been banned from buying alcohol then -

How will a shop know he has been banned & what will the penalties be for selling alcohol to a drunk?

What is to stop someone who has not been banned buying drink on behalf of the banned drinker & how will this be policed?

If the several current laws on drunkeness are not being used to stop such behaviour what makes anyone think this will be any better?

It is probably a round about way of getting ID cards accepted....

I can’t fault your logic. My daughter who works in a bar and says that if one pub bans you they all get to hear it and they ban as well. That is ok in theory, but in reality hard to do. Most of those laws that come into existence aren't thought out properly. They are to do with appeasing the public than looking further a field.

[GMR]

I don't suppose it will affect them very much. I would think that most of the drink fuelled offences that take place, are by people who feel they can only enjoy themselves, when they have had the proverbial skin-full. It also makes them feel a lot braver than when sober. I don't think many are what I would call alcoholics, I could be wrong of course.

As to whether or not it will work, no idea really, although I suppose every little bit helps

True.

[lordtup]

Unfortunately there is a wider issue here than slapping a few mindless teenagers on the wrist .
Drink , like any other drug , is very difficult to give up once hooked . the young may still be in the infancy of such abuse , but as time goes on the dependency on alcohol increases to a point that they need a drink just to "feel normal".

This is not a recent phenomena as those of old enough to recall the 18th century gin houses will testify . Previous bouts of anti social behaviour by the hoi polloi has usually been ended by the requirement of the state to do battle with our European neighbours . Though this is unlikely to repeat , the world is still very volatile and a degenerate populace is not recommended .

The question is though ; is it governments responsibility to address the problem with their ASBO type answer , or do we as a society somehow have to instill some form of responsibility into our next generation , however boring and outdated it may appear to them .

[Strafin]

This is not a recent phenomena as those of old enough to recall the 18th century gin houses will testify .

Are you 210 Lordtup?

[GMR]

Are you 210 Lordtup?

I am because I remember those times quite well.... in fact if you look at some early sketches... they were my drawings.

[lordtup]

I am because I remember those times quite well.... in fact if you look at some early sketches... they were my drawings.

Delighted to make your acquaintance Mr Hogarth

[GMR]

Delighted to make your acquaintance Mr Hogarth

Likewise Mr Fielding.... but please call me William.

[JeffG]

The only way an alcohol ban would work is if you turn the concept on its head. You issue anyone qualified to buy alcohol with an alcohol permit. No permit, no can buy drink. Ban = take away permit.

Of course, I am only half serious, but that's the only way it could possibly work.

A simpler way as mentioned above would be a smart ID card loaded with permissions to do this or do that. Brave new world, or what?

[lordtup]

Likewise Mr Fielding.... but please call me William.

And of course dear sir you may address me as Henry .

[GMR]

And of course dear sir you may address me as Henry .

Tell me Mr Fielding, sorry, Henry, was your greatest achievement writing the classic Tom Jones (No Delilah here, even though It’s not Unusual ) or creating the Bow Street Runners, forerunners to the police force? Both great creations in their own right.

[Biker1]

Alcohol is like any other drug.

If you need it you'll get it whether you're banned or not.

[GMR]

Alcohol is like any other drug.

If you need it you'll get it whether you're banned or not.

Of course they will... I think this law is just for show. As the BBC news said tonight; they've got plenty of laws to deal with this problem. It is just giving the impression they are doing something. Nothing will change.

[Strafin]

This is the goverment that relaxed the laws in the first place....

[GMR]

This is the goverment that relaxed the laws in the first place....

They relaxed the laws on a lot of things; like banking etc. They is why we are in such an economical mess.

[lordtup]

Tell me Mr Fielding, sorry, Henry, was your greatest achievement writing the classic Tom Jones (No Delilah here, even though It’s not Unusual ) or creating the Bow Street Runners, forerunners to the police force? Both great creations in their own right.

In the present climate , admittance to the former over the latter will show me in a better light .
Though in mitigation my idea for a fledgling police force was based more on the needs of my local community than the creation of a whipping boy syndrome for the legislate at large .

ps Personally I liked the "Green Green Grass of Home"