MP Attacks 'Binge Drink' Pub Chain

10.04.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 27th Sep 2004

Vincent Cable MP has written to the Managing Director of Weatherspoons, which owns several pubs including the Sorting Room in Twickenham, over their failure to support the Code of Conduct being operated by other local drinking establishments and their use of heavily discounted drinks. This follows the report of Chief Supt Edwards this week that over an eight week period, the police had taken enforcement action against 175 people for anti-social behaviour or drunkenness with half arrested.

Vincent Cable said that "I welcome the tough line taken by the police. But businesses have to cooperate. A year ago, Weatherspoons said that they would exercise restraint in their big, new drinking establishments and sent a representative to a public meeting which I called in Twickenham. But the gloves have now come off in the drinks market and they are pushing aggressively for more sales by offering cut price deals which will encourage anti-social binge drinking. It is difficult for the local pubs to observe some discipline when the big chains have absolutely no scruples.

"I have made the point to Weatherspoons that, when drinks licensing becomes a local authority responsibility, to be determined by elected councillors rather than courts, there will surely be an assessment of the role played by businesses in discouraging anti-social behaviour. And, so far, his chain fails that test."