Pub Liscencing Laws in Ireland

marcsignal

Does anyone think our Pub Liscencing Laws in ireland contribute to violence in the City/Town Centres here ?
I've always thought that having only 4 hours (say 8:00 to 12:00) to skull pints, or whatever, and then join the orderly stampede to get a taxi home is a volatile mix, and a fight waiting to happen.
The situation is even worse in Dublin around 3am when nightclubs finish.
The only reason I'm curious is that I recently visited Munich and some of the smaller pubs we were in were open all night.
On the first night around 12:00 I was watching the clock in the pub we were in, and asked the bar owner what time he closed, to which he answered:

"What time do you want to go home ?"

I immeadeatly felt more relaxed and drank at a much slower pace in the nights following that, I saw no trouble in the city centre despite the fact Bayern Munich were playing a match. Nor did I see anyone falling all over the place Bo*loxd Drunk.
Now I'm aware that Germany has more than it's fair share of football violence etc, but I generally felt Much Safer than I would here in the same situation.

Does anyone have any experience of the UK ? now that they have 24hour drinking ? or anywhere else ?

How does everyone feel about the same idea here ? would it work or not ?

I know there's a lot of questions here but let's have a go ?

Opinions please

nobodythere

Thread on this in Humanities here, bit out of date now http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055009059 .
Though I didn't reply to the thread because i was pwned and converted 4 posts in.

Also see giveusthenight.com

lostexpectation

ITVNews had 24hr drinking one year on thing on tonight and it was somewhat positive, the police seemed happy, elderly neigbours of residential pubs were not happy....

although the police got a number of new powers aswell at the time and supposed made it easier to reprimenad pubs etc

John R

lostexpectation wrote:

ITVNews had 24hr drinking one year on thing on tonight and it was somewhat positive, the police seemed happy, elderly neigbours of residential pubs were not happy....

although the police got a number of new powers aswell at the time and supposed made it easier to reprimenad pubs etc

Saw that. The overall conclusion from the police forces seemed to be that alcohol related violence had decreased due to less drunken people being on the streets at the same time.

The ambulance service had the opposite view, they spent more time dealing with people that had drunk too much because they had all night to do so.

I think on balance it is a better system but as long as getting sh1t-faced is the main hobby of people here it there is no solution, just a decision on which method is least bad.

ScumLord

We do tend to try and get as much drink in us as possible before closing time, I think 24 hour drinking would help put a stop to that but it would probably take years. That's kindof the point though, I drink to get drunk at the weekend, some people think that that's a bad thing but that's why you take a drug you don't smoke spliffs because you like the taste.

The best job is to just go out earlier. The pubs open at 10 in the morning like.

they spent more time dealing with people that had drunk too much because they had all night to do so.

I thought most their work would have been from people in fights, I've never actually seen someone get sent to hospital because their drunk. If it's just a matter of getting people off the streets why don't we just make drunk tanks to throw those that have passed out into it and charge them for the night when they wake up.

marcsignal

ScumLord wrote:

I think 24 hour drinking would help put a stop to that but it would probably take years.

Yeah I think I agree with this, it will be a fad for a while but i'm pretty optomistic things would settle down eventually, money would be a factor too, most of us simply wouldn't be able to afford going on the binge all night a few times a week even if you worked flexible hours.
I guess it would also spread work around for the taxi drivers, as it is they have to try'n make a killing between 3 and 5, a job I wouldn't relish doing, having to decide in a 2 hour period who or who not to stop for.
I've been passed by many a taxi walking home and get pissed off about it, but can kind of understand that they have to make a snap decision on the go.
If 1 gob****e pukes in the car that's your nights work over. I think you'd be less likely to spew if you knew you could pace your drinking over the whole night because you knew you could go home when ever you liked.

Don1

ScumLord wrote:

I've never actually seen someone get sent to hospital because their drunk.

Just because you've not seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I was in an A&E this time last year (for a non alcohol related stay, long story) and the fool in the bed next to me, or should I say the next bed, was in an awful state. Puking up black stuff. Turns out he'd only been in hospital a few days before and was a regular in said A&E dept., not with a treatable illness. He was sadly an alcoholic. The doctor eventually succeeded in getting him to admit he'd been back on the sauce. He had thrown off a 1.5l bottle of Powers :eek: after being warned not to drink again.

There are several incidences like this one every day, which combined with idiots looking for treatment for common colds etc., have our A&E depts. stretched beyond the limit.


24 hour drinking is a good thing, but only in a country where alcohol is respected. Only when our laisé fair attitude to drinking (See here!!) changes could it be considerred. :rolleyes:

rubadub

This has been done a lot here. I think it would definitely reduce drunkeness & fights. The "last order" culture causes huge problems, as does drinking in rounds.

ScumLord

He was sadly an alcoholic

Ya but he's there because of long term abuse, I was thinking of your average joe that goes out for the night and gets extremely drunk, most can find there way home.

faceman

As long as alcohol is in society there will always be drink problems in this country no matter what restricitions are in place. But im all for 24 hour pubs!

I have alot of experience dealing with alcoholics and their famlies, its a horrible thing for anyone to have to go through. In saying that i drink...

Sad Professor

I'm still not decided if I'm for or against 24 hour pubs. I suspect there would be pros and cons to it but in the very long term it might work out well. The problems of irish drinking culture certainly won't be solved by it though. I don't think the majority of binge drinking has anything to do with the time pubs/clubs close. Alot of people just want to get hammered at the weekend, and they will do so regardless of closing time but certainly it would lessen the amount of druken violence on the streets. Thats the only solid argument for bringing it in it IMO

rubadub

Sad Professor wrote:

Thats the only solid argument for bringing it in it IMO

What about being fair to the huge portion of the population who do not live or work around the government recommended 9 to 5

Sad Professor

Well thats probably the best reason for it. I was referring more to the 24hr licensing laws will solve/make our problems worse argument. I just don't buy the idea that people binge drink because they're a in rush to knock it back before closing.

faceman

rubadub wrote:

What about being fair to the huge portion of the population who do not live or work around the government recommended 9 to 5

exactly.

constitutionus

rubadub wrote:

What about being fair to the huge portion of the population who do not live or work around the government recommended 9 to 5

ya just answered your own question ,the government 9 to 5. as long as the lads in the civil service still work that your pubs will close at 11.30. and sure the dail bar is open whenever ya want it cause technically it doesnt need a liscence:D

constitutionus

Sad Professor wrote:

Well thats probably the best reason for it. I was referring more to the 24hr licensing laws will solve/make our problems worse argument. I just don't buy the idea that people binge drink because they're a in rush to knock it back before closing.

maybe not but dont tell me ya havent seen people buying 3 drinks apiece when last orders is called.