F2C members and delegates.

A full written report on the smoker's festival can be found further down the blog in older posts. Photos were taken by Maureen Whisker

Phil Johnson, F2C pub and club liaison officer on stage giving pro-choice information and messages

Author of Velvet Glove, Iron Fist, Christopher Snowdon who promoted copies of his excellent book on the history of anti-smoking

The Festival with F2C stand

Forthcoming events list, which mentions The Smokin' Festival

Brewer Landlady Emma Chapman and daughter Stephany

Stephany Chapman, Phil Johnson, and Emma Chapman

A Forest message from 2006 - who would have thought that it would become a crime after all!

The music line-up at the Smoker's Festival

Encouraging Signs of Support at Smoker's Festival

The third smoker's festival was a huge success and it was encouraging to note that there were so many supporters of choice.

The festival, held at The Jolly Brewer pub in Lincoln, kicked off on the Friday night with Jon Gomm, supported by the Uncomfortables. This legendary local guitarist kindly agreed to wear the Save Our Pubs and Clubs amendthesmokingban.com T shirt , despite the fact that he doesn't have a view either way on the issue. JB bar staff also wore the T Shirts and campaign messages were scattered about the pub for people to pick up. It was encouraging to note that as soon as the info was displayed, it was read, pocketed, and constantly restocked. Hundreds signed up to register their support for free Forest T Shirts with messages such as "Don't Walk, Don't Smoke, Don't Drink, Don't Think."

Freedom2Choose sent delegates on Saturday who had a stand throughout the festival. Many punters came up to ask about the campaign for choice and again it was heartening to note that many took away F2C literature and expressed an interest to join. The place was heaving and we estimate that there were more than 200 people there. Nick Smith, who hopes to stand as the UKIP Lincoln parliamentary candidate next year, also popped in to meet potential constituents. Fair play to him because I couldn't imagine Gillian Merron, the current MP for Lincoln, in that setting.

Pub customers could also get copies of Christopher Snowdon's excellent book Velvet Glove, Iron Fist, a history of anti-smoking.

While waiting at the very busy bar to get served, it gave me such a buzz to hear punters all around me debating choice instead of the usual pub banter. The event certainly had an impact and succeeded in raising awareness of the issue and reaching those disgruntled smokers who knew nothing of the online campaigns. Many said it was great to know they were not alone in their love of tobacco and hatred of the blanket smoking ban.

Phil Johnson, F2C pub and club liaison officer, and I went on a dry pub crawl through Lincoln City Centre on Sunday afternoon talking to pub landlords and managers. All but one were hungry for more information and great contacts and support were gained for an amendment to the smoking ban. This will be followed up with more visits and I certainly hope to get out to more pubs to spread the word.

Emma Chapman, the Brewer landlady, told us that the Sunday night would be a different event. It was loud House DJ music - the sort that makes your brain rattle inside your skull but very popular with the 300 young people who attended, and who just wanted to drink and dance all night long. We didn't expect there to be much interest as very often youth and politics doesn't mix but again we were very surprised that many of them came to the F2C stand to vent their displeasure at the ban.

One young girl told me that she had forgotten that she couldn't smoke in a pub anymore. She had got used to going outside.

"But I do miss being able to play snooker with and pint and a fag," she said.

Another smoker told me how she runs three 10k races a year. So much for smokers being wheezy and unhealthy.

An anti-smoker who started off by saying he loved the ban, his clothes didn't stink anymore, and he believed being outside benefitted smokers who could get fresh air along with their tobacco, moved to the point of saying that there would be no harm in creating a room for smokers inside and choice was important, after a long discussion of the issue.

Emma Chapman deserves congratulations for hosting such a successful event, that began as a way of showing she valued her smoking customers who she did not want to chuck out in the cold, and for inviting the pro-choice groups to take part. Both Emma and I look forward to more campaigning locally.

Drinkers have more fun

Somehow I doubt whether Sir Ian Gilmore and Don Shenker will be latching on to this piece of research that shows that teetotallers suffer higher levels of depression.

Those who abstain from alcohol are also more likely to lack social skills and have higher levels of anxiety, it was claimed.

Non-drinkers even have more mental health issues than those considered heavy drinkers, the survey found.

One reason why non-drinkers were more gloomy could be that they have few friends, the study suggests.

“We see that this group is less socially well-adjusted than other groups,” said research leader Dr Eystein Stordal, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Sounds a bit like something from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious, but the fact it’s from gloomy, prohibitionist Norway is all the more reason for the miserabilists to give it credence.

I can respect vegetarianism, as it is following a sincerely-held (although in my view misguided) principle, but I can never get teetotalism at all – it seems to be a case of deliberately donning a hair shirt and cutting yourself off from one of life’s greatest pleasures for fear of beginning a slide down the slippery slope. Not being bothered about alcohol is one thing, but actively avoiding it on principle something else entirely.

Access all areas?

I recently concluded a poll which asked the question: “Should children be allowed in all areas of pubs?” There were an impressive 61 responses, and the results were as follows:

Yes, at all times: 3 (5%)
Yes, at lunchtimes and early evenings only: 11 (18%)
Yes, at lunchtimes only: 3 (5%)
No, all pubs should have a child-free area: 44 (72%)

The poll was originally prompted by a discussion – I think on the CAMRA forum – where someone was complaining about being asked to leave a pub in mid-evening because he had children with him. He seemed to think that was unreasonable, but the poll clearly shows that well over two-thirds of respondents believe that pubs should offer their customers a choice of child-friendly and adult-only areas throughout the day.

Yet I find it very rare that pubs (or at least the pubs in residential and rural areas where people might be expected to bring children) have an explicit policy of keeping part of their drinking area for adults only. Shouldn’t it be a basic maxim of customer service that you give people what they want – and here we are talking about choice, not a uniform, one-size-fits-all solution?

It should be made clear that the poll was entirely concerned with the policy towards admission of children that people would like to see offered by pubs – it had nothing to do with the law of the land.

Now in what other context have we heard the complaint before about pubs not giving (or being allowed to give) their customers a choice?

HOW MUCH MORE CAN THEY DO?

I've been busy over the last few days alerting the local press to the Jolly Brewer's Smoking Festival in a bid to get some coverage and that is how I have learned about which way an amendment to the smoking ban is likely to go.

I was told by a radio reporter that according to those on the anti-smoking side of the issue, the only amendment on the cards is a further tightening up of the ban in public places.

Incredulous, I asked how on earth it could possibly get much tighter because it is a blanket public smoking ban currently affecting everywhere.

The reporter told me that he thinks one of the things will certainly be a ban in all hotels.

I hope this is a nasty and vile rumour - or just wishful thinking on the antis' part - but I can't help feeling that bigoted and prejudicial NuLab is probably thinking that way.

Is there any point in writing to your MP about your disgust if this is true so close to an election when NuLab is likely to be annihilated and Blue Labour just doesn't give a damn.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you care about choice, vote UKIP! It makes logical sense and it sends a very strong and clear message to the three main parties that the smoking issue matters - a lot!

Too much information?

A report from market research consultancy Mintel claims that people in Britain are drinking more than they think because of “stealth increases” in the typical strength of drinks. The implication is that drinks manufacturers are in some way subtly reformulating products to make them stronger, whereas in reality we have seen the strength of many drinks such as Stella Artois, Old Speckled Hen and Dry Blackthorn cider actually reduced.

In fact, though, what is happening is a change in the mix of drinks consumed, with people moving away from light German wines to richer, fruitier ones from the New World, and abandoning milds and weak bitters and lagers for more premium beers. And it’s disingenuous to suggest that drinkers don’t know what they’re doing – in fact a major reason for the demise of the old-style cooking lagers such as Skol and Heineken was making their very low alcoholic strengths public. In the 70s and 80s, standard draught Carlsberg was a mere 3.0% ABV. Brewers for many years campaigned against the publication of strength information as it would expose just how weak many of their products were.

Anti-drink campaigners are always going on about the need to provide information to consumers of alcoholic drinks, with the result that the back of a bottle now looks like the safety instructions for a nuclear power station, but of course one of the key pieces of information is the amount of alcohol actually in the drink, which inevitably some will use to choose stronger ones. Indeed this problem, if it is a problem, could be said to stem not from ignorance amongst consumers but from knowledge.

The report is also inaccurate in referring – as many others do too – to Britain’s “rising alcohol consumption”. While it is true we are drinking more than we did in the 1950s, as Gavin Partington of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association points out, since 2004 per capita alcohol consumption has actually been falling.

And a report like this does raise the question of whether the UK now has the greatest level of ill-informed anti-drink hysteria in the Western world. In European terms, we are well down the league of alcohol consumption, yet hardly a day goes past without some new scare about the dangers of drink.

DRUNK INTIMIDATING TRAFFIC PUSHED OFFICER

A drunken woman pushed a police officer who tried to get her out of the road, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates were told that the plain clothes officer was driving along Brayford towards St Mary’s Street, when he saw the woman and a female friend in the middle of the road.

Jim Clare, prosecuting, said they were shouting and blocking vehicles and making offensive hand gestures towards the road users.

“ They were bringing traffic to a standstill. The officer got out of his vehicle and identified himself. The woman swore at him. The other female ignored him,” Mr Clare said.

“He said if they did not move, they would arrested. The other woman shouted that she was pregnant and the officer could do nothing to her.

“This defendant lunged towards him and pushed him. He was then surrounded by three other people including a male who remonstrated with the officer that he was out of order.”

The court heard that the woman ran off but was detained by police on Newland. She was agitated and aggressive and had to be put in handcuffs.

“They were threatening and intimidating motorists while deliberately holding up traffic,” Mr Clare said.

The 36 year old from Lincoln admitted assault on a police officer on August 11.

Lloyd Edwards, representing, said the other female thought it would be fun to play in the road and the woman was trying to stop her when the officer arrived.

“She thought he was a motorist who was just having a go at the other woman and so she pushed him,” Mr Edwards said.

“She apologised when she realised he was an officer, and then panicked and ran off.”

Magistrates imposed a six month community order.

ESCAPEE SAWED OFF HAND-CUFFS

A man worried about the impact of a drugs search at his mum's home ran off after he’d been handcuffed and then got a friend to saw them off, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates were told that a female police officer was helping a colleague who had stopped a car in Gainsborough intending to search it for drugs.

Jim Clare, prosecuting, said the defendant was handcuffed because police did not want to risk him discarding any drugs that he might be in possession of.

“The officers were talking about how they could logistically take the suspects to the station when the defendant jerked his arms twice. The police woman, who was holding the chain of the cuffs, was unable to maintain her grip. The defendant sprinted off and made good his escape,” Mr Clare said.

“The vehicle was searched and cannabis bush was found. This was attributed to the other male.

“This defendant was later arrested and admitted he ran. He said he was concerned that his home would be raided.”

The 24 year-old from Gainsborough, admitted obstructing a police officer in the course of her duty on August 11.

Justin Atkinson, representing, said the defendant knew nothing of the drugs but he feared a search under the misuse of drugs act would lead to his mother’s home being raided and she had been ill.

“He was very concerned about the upset that would be caused to her. It was stupid but he decided to undertake the action we have heard about.”

Magistrates imposed a six month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £30 compensation towards the value of the damaged handcuffs which were worth £50.

TEEN WATCHED THEFT AND THEN BOUGHT STOLEN PHONE

A teenager stood and watched as another man stole a mobile phone worth more than £300 and then bought it for £20, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates were told that the complainant had just bought it for £339.95 when he was approached by someone known to the youth.

“The youth was at the scene,” Jim Clare, prosecuting, said.

“The complainant was threatened by the other person who offered to fight him. This was done in full knowledge of the defendant.

“The man made off with the phone. He sold it to the youth for £20 and he accepted it knowing full well where it had come from.”

The complainant knew the identity of the man who took the phone and following enquiries, police went to the youth's address where the phone was recovered. It has since been returned to the owner.

The 18 year-old from Gainsborough admitted handling stolen goods on June 17.

Lloyd Edwards, representing, said the youth was not an associate of the other man. He was just someone the defendant knew and didn’t want to get on the wrong side of.

“He stupidly agreed to buy the phone and used it once knowing full well that this matter had been reported,” Mr Edwards said.

Magistrates imposed 60 hours of unpaid work and a 12 month community order.

DRUNK TAKEN DOWN BY FEARFUL WARDEN

A drunk was taken to the floor by a street warden who feared he was about to be attacked, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates were told that wardens were on patrol in the city’s Park Street in the early hours when they received a call from CCTV operators that the 20 year-old was making a nuisance of himself outside a nightclub.

“They asked him to move away. He started threatening door staff and was confrontational,” Jim Clare, prosecuting, said.

“A warden feared he was about to be hit, as the defendant put his hand to his chest to move him out of the way, and so the warden took him to the floor. The defendant was swearing and making threats.”

The man from Horncastle admitted using threatening or abusive behaviour likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress, on July12.

Gordon Holt, representing, said the defendant got into an argument with door staff although he can’t remember what about.

“He was seen shouting and gesturing. He came to his senses after he was arrested,“ Mr Holt said.

Magistrates imposed a conditional discharge for a year.

FORMER HEROIN USER STOLE FOR HELP

A former heroin user stole sports jackets because he was told he could get help for his habit sooner if he was convicted of an offence, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates were told that the 28 year old was seen by a supervisor in Sports Direct in Lincoln to take two jackets worth £41.99 each.

Kate Minihane, prosecuting, said the defendant pulled off the security tags and stuffed the jackets up his jumper before leaving the store.

“He damaged one of the jackets in the process of removing the tags,” she said.

“He said he had a £60 a day heroin habit and he was going to sell the jackets.”

The defendant who lives in a village west of Lincoln pleaded guilty to theft on August 7 and failing to surrender to court on August 24.

He told the court that he went to a drug treatment agency for help but he was told that if he wasn’t on a criminal order then it would take longer to get it.

“It could have taken up to four weeks. I had a drug habit which I couldn’t control. I’m now on methadone which I sorted myself. I had no way of funding my habit. If I could’ve got a methadone script sooner, I wouldn’t have done it,” he said.

Magistrates said they would take no further action on the failing to surrender charge after the defendant said he got his dates mixed up. He was given a six month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £41.99 compensation.

TEEN COMMITTED THREE OFFENCES IN THREE WEEKS

A young man who committed three offences in three weeks has been put on a community order to help him get his thinking right.

Lincoln magistrates heard that the 18 year old was drunk when he stole a pedal cycle from the town centre.

Kate Minihane, prosecuting, said CCTV operators spotted him acting suspiciously near a silver mountain bike which was locked at railings at the junction of Silver Street and High Street.

“He broke off the lock and rode it along High Street towards St Mary’s Street,” Miss Minihane said.

“When arrested, he said he was not in control of his actions because he was drunk.

“The owner of the cycle has not been identified despite a public appeal for information.”

The defendant from a Lincoln estate pleaded guilty to theft of the cycle on August 26. He also admitted that the offence put him in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for a dwelling house burglary three days earlier.

Miss Minihane said he stole a DVD player and a Freeview box which he sold to Cash Converters.

The court heard the burglary was at the lower end of the scale and because he was in drink when he stole the cycle he was not thinking straight. It was also pointed out that as the owner of the cycle had not been traced, the theft would have been hard to prove without the youth's own admission to police.

Magistrates said according to his record, the defendant had committed three offences in three weeks and they wanted him to address his thinking skills.

He has to attend a programme during the 12 month community order imposed by the bench and pay £60 costs.

DRIVER BANNED FOR FOUR YEARS

A drink driver has been banned from driving for four years after a court heard he was stopped by police over the limit in a stationary car and on a field.

Lincoln magistrates were told that the 32 year old was stopped on an urban main road in the city and found to have 76mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. He was stopped again three months later on the Lincolnshire Showground where he had 118mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

The defendant from Lincoln, admitted drink driving on March 27 and June 24. He also pleaded guilty to having no insurance on both dates.

Nigel Burn, representing, said the car was stationary and he was not driving but in charge of the vehicle on the road when police saw him.

“He wasn’t moving and not a danger to anyone,” Mr Burn said.

“The second offence occurred at the Lincolnshire Showground. His partner drove but the car was parked awkwardly and she didn’t want to reverse out and so he did that.

“It is a public place but I make a distinction between the showground which is not a road.”

Magistrates imposed a 12 month community order. The man was banned from driving for 48 months with a 12 month reduction if he completes a rehabilitation course. He also has to pay £120 costs.

EASILY LED TEEN STOLE FROM ROOMS

A teenager with autism burgled rooms at a house he was due to be evicted from, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates were told that the 18 year old was living in a shared house in Lincoln at the time when rooms were broken into. Suspicion fell upon him because his was the only one untouched.

Kate Minihane, prosecuting, said residents at the Catch 22 property came home to find items including a £900 lap top had been stolen.

“One of the rooms was locked and had been bodily forced open. The other rooms were not locked,” Miss Minihane said.

“A lap top, hair straighteners, an Ipod, and a motorcycle ornament were taken.”

The court heard that the defendant was arrested after police found the ornament at his girlfriend’s home.

“A male matching his description sold the lap top and Ipod. He said he received £35 for them.”

The youth from a Lincoln estate admitted two charges of burglary and asked for a matter to be taken into consideration.

Rachel Taylor, representing, said the youth had autism and was easily led.

“He had been with other people at the time of the offence. They were walking past the rooms when they saw that one was open. He is very easily led and does not appreciate the consequences - but that is autism,” Miss Taylor said.

Magistrates imposed a 12 week sentence in a young offenders instituiton suspended for 12 months with a condition to attend the thinking skills programme. Hudson also has to pay £110 compensation.

Inncider deal

It’s reported today that Irish firm C & C Group, makers of Magners Cider, have acquired the Tennent’s lager brands and the associated Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow from Anheuser-Busch InBev. It’s also interesting that they have acquired the distribution rights to InBev brands such as Stella and Becks in Scotland and Ireland, so the two won’t be in direct competition with each other in those territories. It’s a striking fact that Tennent’s Lager still commands over half of total on-trade lager volume in Scotland. It isn’t clear from the reports what is to happen to the iconic tramp fuel brand Tennent’s Super.

I posted last month about the possibilities of such a sale. It’s unusual for a major brewer to divest a substantial part of their brand portfolio in this way, although the nature of the deal seems to make C & C more of a junior partner than a direct competitor.

There must be a large question mark, though, as to whether this deal will actually bring any benefit, or make any difference, to the discerning consumer of either beer or cider.

WHAT A WASTE

I picked up this newsletter in court the other day while hopping between different court rooms looking for interesting cases to report.

It features convictions and how much the offenders had to pay back in fines and confiscations. The front page story caught my attention because it is about a tobacco smuggling gang of five who got off quite lightly in terms of jail sentences, serving a total of six years between them.

The gang traded in an estimated 78 million cigarettes and evaded about £18 million in excise duty, according to HM Revenue and Customs.

Officers seized £20,000 found hidden beneath a chest of drawers by cash detection dog, Sniff, and another £199,000 found in two holdalls. A sum of £250,000 cash deposits, believed to be the proceeds of crime, was also seized.

The 2.1 million cigarettes were burned at a national power station to fuel the national grid. My reaction to this story was what a complete waste! If we didn't live in such an anti-smoking hysterical society, common sense would have dictated that if HM Revenue and Customs put those cigs back on legitimate sale then how much more would have gone back to the treasury than the money saved on the fuel that would have been used to create electricity?

I'm not entirely convinced that this "payback" method of recovering criminal assets is fair after a recent court case I attended in which a drug addict had to pay back £3,380 which he was believed to have made from thefts. He looked like he couldn't even afford a decent meal and admitted that he didn't have two pennies to rub together. Whatever he might have made was soon used up getting himself more amphetamines.

Because he had no money he was jailed for three months. He'd offered to pay this amount back at £5 per week but that offer was rejected because the magistrates said "there was a distinct lack of effort to resolve the matter."

SUPPORT CHOICE AND BRING BACK FREEDOM

I can't, unfortunately, make a meeting I have been invited to up north to discuss amendments to the blanket smoking ban which is up for review next year - if we can rely on NuLab politicians to keep their promises and that is like relying on good weather when you go on holiday in England.

However, there may be readers of this blog who can make the trip to Drighlington which is near Bradford, who can add reasonable arguments to the debate.

The invitation extends to landlords, managers, licensees, barstaff, customers, entertainers, suppliers, and anyone else who believes in freedom , choice, democracy and common sense.

The meeting will take place this Sunday, August 30, between 2pm and 8pm at the Painters Arms, Bradford Road, Drighlington, West Yorkshire.

I'd welcome an update on how the meeting went if any attenders want to volunteer to send me a few details to write about after it's all over.

THE HUMAN COST OF SMOKING BANS

A comment on Simon Clark's Taking Liberties blog post about the ridiculous smoking ban in Iraq highlighted this link to the Smokers Club website here : http://encyclopedia.smokersclub.com/4.html

It isn't apparent that all the cases mentioned are related to the smoking ban but most of the deaths detailed here can be put down directly to the venom spewed from the bitter mouths of the anti-smoking bigots.

It certainly makes you think about the human cost of bans and that there is solid evidence that smoking bans kill when there isn't more than a paranoid scent of made up fact that smoking itself harms anyone more than any other pollutants in the atmosphere both inside and outside premises.

The link is worth a read in any event. Antis really should hang their heads in shame but I reckon they would be celebrating at the loss of some smokers and smug that others are driven to behave in a way that confirms the antis view that smokers are the scum of the earth.

Directions by pub

It’s long been a British tradition to give people directions using pubs as landmarks. But, sadly, nowadays it’s more likely to be “turn left at the lights by the site of the Red Lion, then straight ahead by the boarded-up Dog & Partridge, fork right by the McDonalds in the old Crown, then left again at the block of flats where the King’s Head used to be”. I wonder what the record is for people continuing to refer to a road junction by the name of a long-defunct pub.

EU MAKES BRITISH LAW INVALID

The relaunched UK Independence Party in Lincoln is ready to contest next year's local and general election and has already entered the political debate on how much law is made by the EU.

Chairman Nick Smith is raising concerns that children may be at risk from unscrupulous retailers after it was revealed that a law aimed at protecting them is now invalid because it has not been approved by the EU.

"The law protecting children from purchasing violent video games and 18+ films was passed 25 years ago under Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Government which was elected by the people of this country. It was then given Royal Assent to enable it to become British law," Mr Smith said.

"It appears that this law is now invalid because no-one notified the EU Commission back in 1984 which means Britain can no longer prosecute any irresponsible retailer for selling this material.

"Our Government announced today that it will take three months to carry the new legislation through to the House. Meanwhile, they have asked retailers to abide by the law, voluntarily. Most of them are responsible but how can we be assured that our children will be protected from the minority who will not face the consequences of taking advantage of this loophole?"

The UK independence Party was brought to task on a BBC radio 4 program recently about its claims that 70% of UK law is made by the EU.

"We admit we were wrong," Mr Smith said. "It would appear that in actual fact, the EU makes all of our laws - 100%.

"If a law written in this country by duly elected members of a sovereign Parliament and given royal ascent is only law if the UNELECTED EU Commission is notified then I would like to welcome you all to The Federal United States of Europe.

"That leaves valid doubts for Labour and Conservative claims that we still retain our sovereignty."

Mr Smith is calling upon parents to be vigilant during the next few months.

"Please watch out for the games and DVDs your children purchase over the next few months until our parliament resumes business and can write a new law that suits our real masters The UNELECTED EU Commissioners," he said.

MERRON MEETS RETAILERS ABOUT DISPLAY BAN

I couldn't help thinking when I read this piece http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/MP-discusses-display-ban-cigarettes/article-1277441-detail/article.html that public health minister Gillian Merron chose her words carefully and doesn't really give a damn about what retailers think.

I think she cares only for what her Govt masters tell her to think and say.

SOME THOUGHTS ON WHY PUBS ARE EMPTY

I just thought I would share an anecdote from my experience of the beer tent at the local music festival I attended recently which for the first time was largely empty despite the fact that smokers were welcome.

In previous years, there hasn't been a problem with people using the tent to drink their own supermarket-bought cheap alcohol but this year, it was banned. Quite rightly, a notice appeared stating that only alcohol bought in the tent could be drank in the tent and the few times that I popped in for a welcome cold beer, there was only a handful of die-hard pub drinkers in there.

The problem is that as much as people wanted to support the landlady, they didn't have the cash. Crates of supermarket beer and spirits were therefore drunk in the social setting of various camps outside tents. Those that could afford it, popped in occasionally for the beer tent's speciality brews but there just weren't the crowds of people that there used to be.

If the Govt really wants to help the pub it has to either lower tax or stop the big, rich, supermarkets from selling it at a much lower cost. It is their alcohol that is creating our binge drinking culture. Underage drinkers could not get served at the beer tent but loads of them had their own supply of cheap beer which caused them to over-indulge, vomit, and, in one instance, be so loud and rowdy it led to yours truly sticking her head out of the tent at 4am one morning telling a bunch of foul-mouthed teenage girls to keep the noise down a bit.

The one occasion when the tent was back to its usual standing room only, was when the popular event (pictured above) was held. It is because the tent supported choice that many of the festival goers wanted to do their best to support it. If smoking was not allowed , then even this would have been a ghost setting.

Tax on alcohol, and unfair competition is playing a huge part in the decline of the pub but, as the figures also reveal, and experience shows, so is the smoking ban. Judging by the public health minister's recent comments on the dangers of alcohol, one can only assume that this Govt doesn't really want to save the pub at all. It appears to have been intent on destroying pub culture from the start in its aim to ensure that we all follow it's own puritanical and enforced view of what is right and good for the country's health. They don't seem to understand that there is much more to life than that.

MERRON PONTIFICATING AGAIN

I think if Gillian Merron wants to be re-elected as the MP for Lincoln, the Public Health minister really should stop her sanctimonious pontificating about people's lifestyles.

My eyes rolled when I read this piece http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/City-MP-warns-booze-link-sleep-problems/article-1271146-detail/article.html in the Lincolnshire Echo.

We've seen and heard it all before, Ms Merron, back in the days when the righteous from the Church of the Smoke-Free began to lie about the effects of SHS etc and conned you and your friends in Parlt into thinking that the whole country was with you. What was it that Deborah Arnott from ASH boasted about in pulling that "confidence trick"....?

We all know your job depends on putting out this kind of crap but if you really want to be re-elected as the MP for this honourable city, then you really should put a sock in it, leave petty issues alone and get on with sorting out real problems and stop picking on people who work hard for their living, pay too much in taxes, and just want to unwind at the end of a hard day's graft with a pint and fag in the pub without having to listen to puritans like you.

In other words, get a life, and leave other people to get on with theirs!

The Wasteful Tax Credit System

First day back at blogging and I'm starting with a rant about the Tax credit/ working tax credit/ what-the-hell-you-want-to call-it-these-days-family-credit-system/ which seems intent on wasting taxpayers money.

So why am I blue in the face about this and ready to burst?

Well, I just did my good citizen bit after getting a letter in the Post from HM Revenue and Customs for a couple who don't live here. We've been in our house since 2006 but it appears the Tax office doesn't actually check where its claimants live.

The letter tells this couple how much they have been awarded in benefits and as they appear to be earning more than £53,000 a year, I'm amazed that the Govt can dole out another £493 on top of that.

Anyway, I rang HM Revenue and Customs to point out to them that there appears to be either a mistake made, or a fraudulent claim entered and approved, but the organisation cannot discuss it because of data protection. I am asked to "pop it back in the post and return to sender" and presumably hope that they don't resend it back. I am sitting here asking myself what is the point!

Actually, my anger is more to do with the fact that I have a headache from from the merry-go-round-automated telephone system which has eaten a chunk of my phone bill and had me hanging on for ages before anyone could be bothered to pick up.

The old family tax credit system introduced by the Old Tories was a much more effective and helpful system that truly did encourage people with children, and the demotivated, back to work, than the crap the underpaid have to fight their way though today.

Hrmmph!!!!

Vanished into a black hole

One of the biggest recent mysteries in the brewing world was InBev’s cancellation of the launch of the 5.5% ABV Stella Black, when everything was apparently ready to go. There appears to be an obvious gap in the market between the typical 5% premium lagers, and the mind-numbing and unpalatable 9% supers, but it’s one the mass-market brewers seem strangely reluctant to fill, no doubt for fear of an adverse reaction from the anti-drink lobby.

And maybe, given Stella’s nickname of “wifebeater”, calling a stronger variant “black” conjured up unfortunate images of black eyes.

In case you’re wondering, a Google search for images of “Stella Black” produced the stuffed pussy.

The future may not be real

Regular readers of the blog will be aware of my appreciation of the architectural and beery delights of the city of York. On my most recent visit, prompted by this posting by The Beer Nut, I called in at Pivo, housed in an ancient half-timbered building just off the main shopping street, which bills itself as a “world beer free house”. It has three cask beers, but its unique proposition is a range of about ten unusual imported beers served on draught (in keg form), mostly in the proper branded glassware – with half-pint and pint lines. It’s not the usual suspects, either, no Krombacher and Hoegaarden here. There were even British kegs from Meantime. The prices aren’t as steep as you might expect, with the 4.7% ABV Czech lager Bernard Svetly Lezak at a mere £1.45 a half, which is probably less than the usual price of Stella in York. It seems to attract a youngish, upmarket clientèle, and it was striking to see groups of them happily supping and discussing exotic, often cloudy beer. It may not appeal to the old-time Mild and Bitter diehards, but it has to be said that this kind of bar (regrettably all too rare) feels far more forward-looking and aspirational than a bare-boards boozer serving Slutty Sally and Old Disreputable.

Having said that, the Swan on Clementhorpe is a traditional pub par excellence, with a range of six cask beers and a great atmosphere and, to be honest, somewhere I personally feel more at home.

A little of what you fancy

It seems that cigarette, alcohol and junk food sales have soared in the London area while spending on fruit and vegetables has fallen. The article quoted interprets this in a negative way as slipping back into “unhealthy” lifestyles as a response to the financial and mental pressures of the recession. But could it be that people are seeing through the ever more shrill and ludicrous claims of the Righteous health lobby and taking the entirely sensible view that a little of what you fancy does you good?

(h/t Raedwald)

Marketing on strength

One of the reasons given by Alcohol Focus Scotland for their complaint to the Portman Group about BrewDog’s Tokyo* was that it was being “marketed on the basis of strength”. This is obviously a gross misrepresentation, but it led me to think that in practice alcoholic drinks of any kind never are marketed on strength – indeed it is something that goes against advertising codes. People may choose a particular category of drink, but within categories nothing ever seeks to appeal on the basis that it is stronger than its direct competitors.

Many years ago, Whitbread got into hot water with the Advertising Standards Authority by advertising Gold Label barley wine (then sold in nip bottles at 10.9% ABV) as “as strong as a double whisky” and nothing remotely similar ever appears nowadays.

I can’t recall seeing Gold Label in a pub for ages, but it still lingers on in 33cl cans in the off-trade, now reduced to 8.5% ABV, and presumably selling overwhelmingly to old blokes. Interestingly, its makers seem to be able to extract a premium price for it, four cans typically selling at just under £5, or 44p per alcohol unit, compared with the 35p more typical of super-strength lagers.

There’s a review of canned Gold Label here on a site – Hywel's Big Log – that is refreshingly different from the usual CAMRA/beer geek style of beer reviewing.

Old Tom to be castrated?

The Tories’ plans to triple duty on “high-strength” beers and ciders are ill-considered, indiscriminate and unlikely to achieve their stated objectives. They may put people off drinking the likes of Special Brew and Diamond White, but they will also impact on high-quality strong ales such as Robinson’s Old Tom, recently voted world’s best ale, Belgian imports such as Chimay and Duvel, and the products of independent cidermakers. These products are consumed responsibly by discerning drinkers and already are often relatively expensive in terms of price per alcohol unit.

Yet again beer and cider are being unfairly singled out when wines and spirits are equally to blame for our supposed alcohol problems.

The vast majority of the alcohol-fuelled disorder we see on our streets results from people consuming normal-strength drinks. The super-strength products are overwhelmingly drunk at home and scarcely feature in pubs.

And you can bet your life that the promise to reduce duty on “low-strength” products will only apply to the sub-3% pisswater that nobody wants to drink, and not to everyday quaffing beers in the 3-4% range.

It is also inevitable that if there is a sudden jump in duty levels at a particular strength level, numerous products will cluster just below that level, thus distorting the market.

The plan is a thoroughly bad idea which is likely to cost the Tories many votes from people who would often see themselves as their natural supporters. More proof, if it were needed, that defending the interests of responsible drinkers is not a straightforward party political issue.

Useful idiots

As usual, the Filthy Smoker tells it as it really is, and completely destroys the very weak argument that minimum alcohol pricing might in some way help pubs (strong language alert).

And do you know what? Even if they make the minimum price £2.50 per unit, I will still not be returning to the pub. Why? Because I am not standing in the f*****g street to drink a pint of beer...

The SLTA and CAMRA are making a big mistake co-operating with latter-day temperance groups on this minimum pricing issue. They are not people who can be reasoned with because they are not reasonable people. They cannot be appeased. They cannot be compromised with. The government has no right - no right at all - to decide how much a drink should cost. That should be the only message the politicians hear on this issue. And for anyone in the pub industry to collaborate with these puritans in a selfish attempt to undo the damage that occurred last time they got tricked by them is nothing short of pathetic.

If you're wondering why I've used a few asterisks, it's because I want my posting at least to be readable in offices and other places where Internet filters are in operation.

SMOKING FUN AT FESTIVAL

Today I can exclusively reveal details of the long awaited Smokers' Festival which has gained in popularity since it began back in 2007.

Due to be held at The Jolly Brewer on Broadgate, Lincoln, it started as a way of respecting those smokers who the landlady - a smoker herself along with all of her staff - didn't want to chuck out in the cold.

The event will be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend from Friday 28th to Monday 31st and a right feast of musical talent is on offer as well as great company.

Emma Chapman, who runs the pub, heard about the TICAP anti-prohibition conference which was held in Brussels last January. She couldn't attend but wanted to know all the details. It would have been great to hold a similar conference locally but there were some rules about pubs and politics and Emma, understandably, didn't want to end up getting on the wrong side of the local licensing officer.

However, a brilliant compromise has been reached and Emma has put aside one day of the weekend where disgruntled smokers can add their voice to the growing anti-ban campaign.

The JB regulars, and new visitors, will be able to pick up loads of information and sign a petition calling for an amendment to the current anti-social ban and make their voice heard on their right to choose.

This is an ideal way of letting those disaffected and ignored smokers, who know nothing about the campaigns running mostly online, have their say and get involved if they want to.

The full run down of the event and the details can be found online and a link to the JB's website will appear below this article.

Personally, I can't wait to hear the extra talented Jon Gomm on the Friday night who can make sounds out of his guitar that sound like he has a whole backing band behind him. He is just one out of a whole showcase of local talent on the agenda throughout the whole weekend.

Saturday is the main smoking campaign day and that begins at 8pm. Delegates from Freedom 2 Choose will be there and lots of information from the Save Our Pubs and Clubs amendthesmokingban.com campaign.

So anyone who hates this ban should get along to Lincoln and support this event. It will be a brilliant do and it is dedicated to you the smoker who has not been able to enjoy a decent social night out since this bigoted NuLab govt decided you don't matter.

Phil Johnson, F2C club and pub liaison officer said : "Freedom2choose is proud to be part of the Smokers Music Festival as this festival clearly domonstrates the urgent need for CHOICE. We look forward to welcoming all like minded people on the 29th & 30th August."

For more information see here :http://www.thejollybrewer.co.uk/whats-on/article.asp?EventID=121

Unsustainable communities?

Over the past few years, CAMRA has devoted a lot of campaigning effort to getting the piece of legislation known as the Sustainable Communities Act passed. They claim that: “The Act provides a channel for local people to drive Central Government assistance and action to improve the economic, social and environmental well being of their area. This means that local people can use the Act to promote community pubs and the availability of local beers.”

But it completely escapes me exactly what in practical terms it is meant to achieve, or how it is to be done. Surely the best way of ensuring the success of pubs is to encourage more people to go to them, which seems to be dramatically at variance with recent government anti-drink initiatives, not least Oldham’s notorious crackdown. As far as I can see, the actions of local government almost always seem to be directed towards curbing the activities of local businesses, especially small independent ones.

It seems to me the best way to protect pubs is for government, whether central or local, to keep out of their hair...

Suffer the little children

In CAMRA’s quarterly magazine BEER, veteran cookery writer Prue Leith has proposed that pubs should provide school dinners for children whose schools have no kitchens.

She seems to assume that pubs have cooking and waiting staff hanging around at lunchtimes doing nothing, whereas in reality pubs would need to recruit staff to carry out this function, and put them through the expensive and time-consuming CRB checks required for anyone working with children.

She says:

Many pubs are empty miserable places at lunchtime, with a couple of old codgers supping their pints in silence in the gloomiest corner.

Sounds like me, really, although I always try to find a spot where there is good light to read the paper. And does she imagine those old codgers would still be there if their quiet space was invaded by a troop of schoolkids? In any case, most of the pubs where that was the case have either closed down or stopped opening at lunchtimes.

To be honest, you have to wonder when she last went in a pub. Some of the comments inject a welcome dose of reality.

Nil by mouth

Last week, the BBC reported that alcohol was responsible for a 26% rise in cases of mouth cancer. This immediately had the whiff of dodgy statistics to me, and Pete Brown had a good go at it, especially with reference to the inaccurate link to beer.

When you look into the subject, it is clear that there are numerous risk factors for mouth cancer. By far the greatest is smoking, but chewing tobacco, mouthwashes and Human Papilloma Virus also feature alongside alcohol. And, even within the alcohol category, it is mainly linked with neat spirits rather than wine and beer.

It has also given rise to some ludicrous flights of bansturbation from the Righteous. Just look at this nonsense:

Dr Vinod Joshi, founder of the Mouth Cancer Foundation is suggesting people should 'avoid drinking alcohol altogether'.

The Department of Health's current advice is that men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day, and women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day.

He says: 'In view of the latest reports from Cancer Research UK, the current alcohol guidelines that we've got are actually very high.

'To reduce the risk of mouth cancer risk, the Mouth Cancer Foundation recommends that people should limit or avoid drinking alcohol altogether.'

For men, the Mouth Cancer Foundation recommends no more than occasional drinking of two standard drinks a day and for women no more than one standard drink a day.

Given that the current “guidelines” are ludicrously low, when he starts banging on that they are “very high” you have to question exactly what planet he lives on. Has this man ever been in a pub? And the question must be asked whether the Mouth Cancer Foundation is actually a fakecharity.

And it continues:

Hazel Nunn, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, says: ‘These latest figures are really alarming. Alcohol consumption has doubled since the 1950s and the trend we are now seeing is likely to be linked to Britain's continually rising drinking levels.

Umm, for the past few years, alcohol consumption in the UK has actually been falling. So why are you telling fibs, Hazel?

It all adds up to a typical fake health scare.

When alarmist reports speak of a “25% rise” in anything it is important to know what the baseline is. And apparently mouth cancer kills about 1800 people a year, as compared with 3000 with die in road accidents. I won’t be stopping going out of the house to avoid road accidents, and it’s highly likely most of those 1800 deaths are of people who have engaged in high-risk behaviours for many years. So it won’t deter me from drinking my quota, mostly in beer, each week.

Stretching the law

The Daily Mail reports that a disabled pensioner has been convicted of riding his mobility scooter while over the drink-drive limit. I had always understood that, as mobility scooters were not licensed vehicles, the same law applied to them as to pedal cycles, in that it was illegal to ride them when “under the influence of alcohol”, but there was no defined legal limit. However, in this case the man was breathalysed and found to have a blood-alcohol level of 122mg (the legal limit being 80mg). At that level, while not fit to drive a car, someone isn’t in any meaningful sense “drunk”, and it seems that the police are stretching the law in a way that was not intended. I know a number of old boys who use mobility scooters to get to the pub, and if they were being hounded for having more than a couple of pints it could kill off what social life they have. And I imagine a lot of people would be up in arms if the police sought to extend the same principle to pedal cycles.

The comments on the article also show a depressing level of prejudice against the disabled.

Killjoy was here

There’s an excellent article on Sp!ked today by musician Joe Jackson entitled How killjoys colonised Britain’s public houses, in which he argues that “the smoking ban, on top of strict licensing laws and CCTV, has turned pubs from places of choice and tolerance into outlets for official meddling.”

Though I’m personally infuriated by the ban – which forbids smoking in enclosed public spaces and enclosed workplaces – and don’t believe that it’s doing anything for anyone’s health, I don’t claim that it’s the only factor in the decline of a once-great British institution. But I do believe it has had an insidious effect, which needs to be more widely recognised. Traditionally, a pub is supposed to offer hospitality, tolerance, free choice, and a place to relax away from official interference. The ban goes against all of this. It also sets a terrible precedent by overruling the property rights of publicans, and prohibiting adult citizens from negotiating their own arrangements – in this case, with regard to a perfectly legal habit.

He also – perhaps surprisingly to many – says that British pubs are now far more regimented and restricted than their counterparts in Germany, especially Berlin:

I’ve always loved English pubs, but just how awful they are becoming wasn’t completely clear to me until I relocated a couple of years ago to Berlin. While too many pubs these days are soulless, generic commercial enterprises, staffed by people who clearly don’t give a damn, Berlin bars are often wonderfully idiosyncratic, and operated and patronised by people who clearly love them.

Happy days

I was spurred by this post from Raedwald to think about my own days of adolescent drinking. I grew up in an industrial town in the North-West, but having passed the 11-plus, attended a grammar school seven miles away out in a more rural area. I made many friends from that area, and most of the socialising I did in the 18-21 period, in the latter period of the sixth form and during university holidays, tended to revolve around the rural side. The usual pattern was that we would get in one of our fathers’ cars and go out exploring the pubs in the rural areas around a fifteen to twenty mile radius, and also the nearest cathedral city.

It was a journey of discovery – we would find grotty pubs, snooty pubs, dull but welcoming pubs, interesting but unwelcoming pubs, and plenty of pubs of genuine character that we would return to again and again. We knew we had to be respectful to the locals and regulars, so we moderated our behaviour accordingly. One pub in particular, hidden away up a rural cul-de-sac, with two tiny rooms, a quarry-tiled floor and beer straight from the cask, really sticks in the memory. It isn’t like that now, of course.

This was the late 1970s, when the breathalyser had been in place for ten years, and it was drummed into us by our fathers that to be OK we should stick to two pints. In those days, when virtually no draught beer was over 4% ABV, that simple maxim made more sense than it does now. Sometimes we might push it to two and a half, or three over the course of an evening, but I doubt whether that would have led to a failed test anyway. I can honestly say I can never recall an occasion when anyone took the piss with the drink-driving law. On recollection, it seems to me that as a confident driver who passed his test first time before he was seventeen-and-a-half, I did more than my fair share of driving, but I didn’t really mind. And even those who weren’t driving would never have more than four or five pints, and weren’t puking in the streets.

Nowadays, young people just don’t do that – they go on pub crawls around trendy bars in town centres and get arseholed. The rural pubs have in many cases gone over entirely to food or closed down for good (although most of those I recall visiting, to be honest, survive in some form). I think we are missing something in terms of young people being socialised to the ways of pubs and finding out just what is out there on their doorstep.

It is also striking looking back how few of even the up-market pubs served evening meals, yet they were still busy, generally far more so than today. We may have lots more beers nowadays, but I can’t help thinking that the pub trade as a whole is a thin echo of its former self.

Labelling lunacy

Recently we have heard numerous complaints from the anti-drink lobby that an unacceptably high proportion of bottled and canned products are still not carrying the “voluntary” alcohol health warning (sic) information. As I pointed out last year, this analysis is fundamentally dishonest, as it only looks at the proportion of individual products without considering how much of each is sold. If more than 90% of all actual packages sold are covered, can it really be argued that consumers of the remaining 10% are never exposed to these messages (which are in any case a work of fiction)?

In my experience, the products that don’t carry them tend to be low-volume, premium-priced specialist imports which are hardly going to be the drink of choice for problem drinkers. For example, I have in my cupboard a 500ml bottle of Tegernseer Spezial, a high-quality 5.6% ABV Bavarian lager that cost me £2.20 for the bottle, or 79p per alcohol unit – surely dear enough to satisfy even the most ardent anti-drink campaigner. But it carries no health warning, so it will inevitably carry me further down the road to ruin. If the worst comes to the worst, importers will have to stick superfluous and unsightly extra labels on bottles to satisfy the requirements.

While I’m far from the greatest fan of the European Union, surely individual countries applying their own labelling rules should be outlawed as a restraint of trade.

And so it continues

In the latest incident of backside-covering supermarket hysteria, a disabled shopper was forced by Tesco to carry a bag containing wine with his teeth because he had his sixteen-year-old daughter with him. At least in this case Tesco did apologise and said “We know there will be plenty of times when adults will have under-18s with them when buying alcohol and this remains perfectly legal,” which is very welcome. But surely supermarkets have to recognise that it is one thing to expect staff to ID purchasers of alcohol who may appear underage, but something else entirely to expect them to make a judgment as to whether the person with ID is buying alcohol for other members of the group who don’t. Anyone who was intent on buying alcohol on behalf of underage drinkers would in any case have the common sense to ensure they stayed outside the shop while negotiating the till.

And it baffles me why people are prepared to suffer such indignities rather than just abandoning their shopping at the checkout and walking out. Are we a nation of sheep?

Fun in the sun

Oh dear, smoking a fag and drinking beer, how can this represent enjoyment? Signs of a depraved lifestyle, more like.

While I doubt whether a drop of real ale has ever crossed her lips, Kate Moss has created a reputation for knowing how to have a good time.

Good luck to her!

THE TALE OF TAILS

Readers of this blog might remember that last week I told the sorry tale of our boxer dog Toad's tail here http://patnurseblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/another-choice-lost-animal-suffers.html.

He duly went for his trip yesterday to the vet but it wasn't good news.

You may recall how I told of how when we came back from a trip to the North East, Toad, who couldn't have his tail docked at birth because of a new law preventing it, had whacked it on something and it has bled profusely since.

The vet examined him and the good news is that he is very fit and well enough to have the operation but the good medic astounded us because she said she would only remove about an inch which isn't going to do any good. He would still have about a metre circumference swinging with each wag and he is bound to knock it again. I guess that would mean another trip to the vet, another £100, another bit chopped off, and yet more suffering for Toad.

We have reluctantly, for now, decided against having it docked on medical grounds although we might seek a second opinion. Ironically, the vet was more interested in trying to persuade us to have his manly bits chopped off to "quieten him down". We love his character and wouldn't want to change it, but it does seem bizzare that the law says we can't dock his tail but we can castrate him.

CHILDRENS’ DETAILS LOST ON STOLEN COMPUTER

A burglar was seen to climb out of a window with a laptop that contained the personal information of children from a local playgroup, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates were told the item was never recovered after the burglar took it from his partner’s house.

Paul Wood, prosecuting, said the defendant had denied the burglary. He failed to turn up for a trial and was convicted in his absence after a postman said he recognised him as the person he had seen clambering through a window with the lap top.

“The lap top belonged to his partner’s sister who used it on behalf of a local playgroup,” he said.

“The house had been left secure after a visit by the defendant who made his way back in through a window which the complainant believes he left ajar. “

The 21 year old from Lincoln denied burglary but admitted failing to surrender to custody on July 14.

Roisin McCaffrey, representing, said the young dad was now back with his partner who was expecting another child.

“Because of this he is anxious to get this matter resolved. He handed himself in to police knowing this matter was outstanding. If he had come on the day, he would have admitted theft,” she said.

Magistrates imposed a 12 month community order on him. He is required to spend six months in alcohol treatment. He also has a four month curfew order and will be electronically tagged and he has to pay £479 to the Playgroup.

SHOPLIFTER HIT GUARD BY ACCIDENT

a 36 year old shoplifter who had been addicted to heroin from the age of 14 accidentally assaulted a store security guard who challenged him over theft of meat, a court heard.

Lincoln magistrates court was told that an undercover female store detective spotted the man taking the goods worth £30 and hide them in a pushchair before paying for low value items at the till.

Paul Wood, prosecuting, said the woman challenged the defendant as he left but he threatened to head butt her.

“A uniformed security guard approached. As he tried to detain the defendant, the man pushed back with his elbow which hit the male security guard in the jaw,” Mr Wood said.

The court was told that the officer needed treatment for swelling and he said he felt unsettled after the incident.

The defendant from Gainsborough admitted theft and assault by being reckless on February 2 this year.

Lloyd Edwards, representing, said the man had got clean, he has a new life, and a new partner who is expecting his baby.

“He wanted to get a present for his two year-old child's birthday but he was embarrassed that he had no money. He was going to sell the meat to fund the present,” Mr Edwards said.

“He accepts it was a stupid way of thinking. He panicked when stopped and when the female store detective knocked the meat out of the push chair, he became angry, thrust his arm up, and hit the security guard behind him who he didn’t even know was there.”

Magistrates adjourned the case for reports to be prepared before sentencing on August 14 because of a lack of court time.

THE DEBATE CONTINUES!

Well, that'll teach me to wait a bit longer before dismissing people! Just as I had given up on Cllr Tim, I get notification that my comment is now on his blog (yaayy!)

So, it seems, the debate continues ....

CLLR TIM SNUBS SMOKERS?

Lots of people have been debating the issue of why people are turning away from NuLab in their droves on a local councillor's blog. He mentioned five good reasons but failed to mention the smoking ban.

It was pointed out to him that as 15 million people in the UK smoke, then it stands to reason a lot of them are miffed for having their social lives taken away. I know I am and I know there are a lot more like me all over the country because I have spoken to them.

After hearing facts and figures and reasonable arguments, Cllr Tim was not impressed and dismissed the idea because he said the smoking ban hadn't been mentioned as an issue at any door he has knocked on during the last 10 years. He didn't mention, specifically, if he had done any door knocking in the last two years.

Needless to say, Cllr Tim's ego was fluffed by what I assume to be one of his regular contributors who told him to ignore the smokers (and aren't we used to that by now!) because, he said, it looked like the blog had been invaded by libertarians. Ignoring the general public is what I have come to expect from this lot!

I did leave a comment which said insular, dismissive, and patroning - perhaps reasons 7,8,9 why people are turning away from Labour - Cllr Tim's 1-5 is spot on and 6 is the smoking ban.

Cllr Tim's blog is moderated. My comment, left a couple of days ago, hasn't appeared yet and I'm beginning to suspect he has closed down the debate. Perhaps reason 10 why people are turning against Labour - they can't debate. They can only control, order, and dictate. It's great to know we live in such a healthy democracy.

THUG ATTACKED OFFICER FOR A SMOKE

An off duty police officer was attacked as he walked to work because he refused to give a thug a cigarette, a court heard.
Lincoln magistrates were told the West Ealing carpet and window cleaner had just made off with £20 worth of petrol from a city store before driving along Burton Road where he saw the officer who was walking to work at the local police station.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, said the officer heard people shouting from a car window as the vehicle approached him from behind. The defendant then got out and asked in a “cocky” manner for a “fag.”
“The officer said he was sorry but he didn’t smoke,” Mr Clare said.
“The defendant continued to walk towards him aggressively and again asked for a cigarette and again the officer refused. The officer told the man to back off but the defendant punched him in the face several times.”
The court was told that the officer was taken to hospital. His nose was bloody, his eye was blacked, and his face was bruised.
The 25 year old admitted assault and making off without paying for petrol on April 30 this year.
John Bradley, representing, said the defendant was working to turn his life around and had set up the carpet and window cleaning service. A letter from an associate was handed to the court.
Magistrates said the man narrowly missed being sent to jail. They felt a community penalty would be more appropriate. He was sentenced to a 12 month community order with curfew and electronic tag for four months. He also has to attend a general offending behaviour programme.
He also has to pay £100 compensation to his victim and £30 costs.

Weak thinking

CAMRA’s plea for the government to scrap beer duty on low-strength beers of 2.8% ABV and below was a predictable publicity stunt to coincide with the launch of the Great British Beer Festival. But it is regrettable that they chose to promote an idea that panders to the anti-drink lobby and displays seriously muddled thinking. Haven’t the powers-that-be at CAMRA realised by now that anything that appeals to Don “weasel words” Shenker and his chums at Alcohol Concern is inevitably going to be a thoroughly bad idea?

It is very difficult to brew a beer below about 3.5% ABV with much flavour and character. Many of the old-style milds and boys’ bitters were very bland, and were designed to be drunk in large quantities by industrial and agricultural workers wanting to restore fluid levels after a hard day’s work. However, as society changed and people became more prosperous, they started switching to bitters which were more expensive, but had more taste and body.

People drinking in pubs are not generally motivated to choose cheaper drinks to save money, otherwise mild would still be all the rage, and (whisper it quietly) one of the main reasons people drink beer is because it actually does contain alcohol. Ordering a cheap, weak beer is hardly a very “aspirational” choice in the pub and comes across much more as a distress purchase. If people want to cut their alcohol consumption they will tend to drink “less but better” rather than making a conscious decision to go for weaker drinks.

In the early 1990s, some of our local brewers introduced cheap “economy” bitters at around 3.2% ABV, such as Hydes’ Billy Westwood and Boddingtons’ Old Shilling. When well-kept, these could in fact be surprisingly tasty, but they never really took off in the marketplace and were dropped after a year or two. And in recent years we haven’t exactly seen the 2% ABV Carling C2 setting the world alight.

The idea that micro-brewers would be able to sell 2.8% beers for substantially less than stronger ones is misplaced anyway, as they benefit from Progressive Beer Duty and thus pay a greatly reduced rate of duty in the first place.

The comments on the BBC article are laughable, as many are along the lines of “I hardly ever go in pubs, but I would like to have the choice of drinking weaker beers” – no doubt from the same kind of people who say “on my annual visit to the pub it is great I no longer have to put up with smokers trying to murder me.”

And please can we drop the nonsense of calling such pisswater mid-strength? It’s only “mid-strength” in the sense that a Smart is a “mid-sized” car, i.e. halfway between a proper car and a pushbike.

TODAY'S COURT STORIES

Today's court stories will be posted up later this afternoon.

GRANNY'S OWN CIG MACHINE

I spotted this photo on the RetroPlanet.com site. It brought to mind a story my sister shared with me about our English granny Fielder.

Apparently, back in the 60s somewhen, we used to visit granny Fielder in Ashton Under Lyne and my (lifelong non-smoking) sister recalls how one time granny gave her a few coins and asked her to nip to the corner shop to get her some cigs.

My sis would have been about 6 or 7 and holding the coins in her hand, she was rather unsure of where the corner shop was.

Granny pointed to the corner of the living room and there was her very own cigarette vending machine. My sister duly put the money in and out popped granny's fags.

Whether Granny's vending machine was like this one from the 1940s is most certainly a memory lost.

HEALTH FEARS OVER UNTESTED FIRE SAFE CIGS

Concerns have been raised over moves from Scotland to push the UK Govt into adopting fire safe cigarettes because they have not been tested to measure the impact on public health.
Indian public health and social activist supremo Hemant Goswami and British Pro-choice group Freedom2Choose say the Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarettes (RIPs), although welcomed to reduce fire risks, could be dangerous to people’s health and they should not be introduced until the effects of using them are known.
F2C says the RIPs have been given backing by anti-smoking MSP Stewart Maxwell who wants Scotland to become the first country in Europe to introduce the cigarettes which go out quickly if unattended.
Maxwell, who has support from fire chiefs, is calling for a change in law at Westminster to make the cigarettes compulsory.
Concerns were raised over the issue of RIPs by Goswami at a conference in Arkansas two years ago.
Goswami has asked the scientific community to be more alert before embracing the concept and says there has been a clear strategic push by the tobacco industry to influence US states to adopt it.
“We must do independent primary research before accepting and adopting concepts like fire-safe cigarettes which are claimed to be less likely to catch indoor structural fires if left unattended. Such concepts have been only tested from the fire-safety point of view and no independent study has still been undertaken by the scientific or public health community to assess the effect of the engineered modifications in RIP cigarettes.,” he said.
F2C chairman Andy Davis questioned the rush move to introduce RIPs and said it appeared that ministers like Maxwell had no regard for the health of citizens.
“Certain materials which would not smoulder or burn were discarded and ignored in the study and lit cigarettes were placed between layers of material to maximise damage. This would never happen in normal life,” he said.
“If these modified cigarette papers are an effective way of fire-prevention, they are potentially dangerous to consumers and should not even have been considered until rigorous scientific tests have proved their safety.”
Eight fire deaths were said to have been caused by smouldering cigarettes last year

WOMAN’S JAIL BID TO ESCAPE IRRITATING BOYFRIEND

A woman who was irritated with her boyfriend got herself locked up so she could have a weekend of peace, a court heard.
Lincoln magistrates were told the 50 year old was seen on CCTV taking a handbag from M&S. She then walked across the road, took off the packaging and put her own handbag inside it.
She admitted theft committed on August 1.
Richard Marshall, representing, said the woman was being pestered by her boyfriend who wouldn’t leave her alone.
“He was getting on her nerves and so she tried to get arrested and locked up so she could enjoy a peaceful weekend,” Mr Marshall said.
The woman, who appeared in custody, will be sentenced at a later date. Meanwhile, she was granted bail.

CASHIER TOOK GOODS FROM WORK

A Co-op cashier was in the habit of taking goods from work and paying later but she was prosecuted when she failed to pay for a bottle of water, some snacks and a pack of cigarettes, a court heard.
Lincoln magistrates were told that the 19 year-old was working at a Filling Station at a time when stock was going missing.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, said the security manager installed cameras in the till area and when he reviewed the footage, he saw the defendant take the items worth a total of £7.94.
The defendant from outside Lincoln admitted three charges of theft from employer between December 1, 2008 and December 9, 2008.
Andy Kerrigan, representing, said staff had got into the habit of taking goods and paying for them at the end of the shift.
“She accepts that she did not pay for the items and she did not go back and pay for them when she realised her mistake which does amount to dishonesty,” Mr Marshall said.
Magistrates conditionally discharged her for 12 months and ordered her to pay £7.94 compensation and £25 costs.A co-op

DIY STORE WORKER PERSUADED TO DRIVE OVER THE LIMIT

A DIY store worker was talked into driving by his friends but he was spotted by police and found to be over the drink drive limit, a court heard.
Lincoln magistrates were told that the car came to the attention of police on Newark Road because it had no lights on.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, said police signalled for it to pull over and it hit the kerb several times before it stopped.
“Police noticed intoxicants on the defendant’s breath and he accepted he had been drinking. He was found to have 63mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg,” Mr Clare said.
The 20 year old defendnt from a village south of Lincoln admitted drink driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with his licence and without insurance on July 17.
Andy Kerrigan, representing, said he had been drinking with his friends when they ran out of beer. A discussion then followed about who would go and get some more.
“He says he was talked into taking the vehicle because the owner was more intoxicated than him and the other male didn’t have his glasses and couldn’t see well enough to drive although the defendant does take full responsibility,” Mr Kerrigan said.
Magistrates fined him a total of £335 and ordered him to pay £60 costs and a £15 surcharge. He was banned from driving for 18 months with a four and a half month reduction if he completes a rehabilitation course.

RECESSION HIT WOMAN STOLE PETFOOD

A woman struggling financially in the recession and in debt stole pet food because she couldn’t afford to feed her animals, a court heard.
Lincoln magistrates were told that the 46 year old was seen to put something in her bag at Pets At Home on the Tritton Retail Park.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, said she was acting suspiciously. She picked up some items and walked around the store for a while before leaving without paying.
“She was followed and stopped outside and asked if she had anything on her,” he said.
“She took out a bag of bird seed and some shampoo.”
The woman who lives in village just outside of Lincoln, admitted theft on July 17.
Tony Cunningham, representing, said she was struggling financially after being affected by the recession which is hitting the construction industry and she was in debt.
“She was struggling to buy pet food and so she stole some. It is as simple as that but she is very ashamed of what she has done,” he said.
Magistrates conditionally discharged her for 12 months and ordered her to pay costs of £25.

Another choice lost .... an animal suffers ...

Thanks to the fluffy vegetarian loving Nu Lab cronies, it has been against the law (in England) since April 2006 to dock dogs' tails.

As the owner of two boxer dogs, I can say with authority that there are indeed cases where the animal is better off without it, although I understand that the means behind the law was to stop those heartless people who attempt to lob it off themselves, often with tragic results.

We got Batty, a mostly white boxer, in January 2004 with docked tail. He's always been happy and has never suffered. We bred him in spring 2007 and Toad, his son was born in August of that year. The owner of Toad's mum couldn't get the puppies' tails docked because of the new law. We didn't think that would be a problem but it is.

I hope you can tell from yet another bad photo the state Toad's tail is in at present. Not only does he tend to slap my two and half year old granddaughter across the face when he wags it, we also came home from our recent trip to the North East to find the kitchen looking like a crime scene. Our neighbour had been going in daily to feed, water and walk him, and at some point, Toad had whacked the end of his tail against something and it began to bleed. It looked just like someone had dipped a brush in red paint and then flicked it on all the walls and doors. In addition there were bloody smears everywhere.

After six days it still bleeds and so we have an expensive visit to the vet tommorrow to see what can be done to ease his suffering. It seems that now he's an adult, an operation of this kind may be too much for his heart to take and so he first has to have tests.

Of course if we had freedom of choice, we could have made a decision to have it docked at birth. That would not have affected him as much then as it probably will now. The Council Of Docked Breeds has been fighting this issue since it reared it's ugly head back in 2002, and the NuLab Govt, so used to lying, lied when it responded to the CDB with this : "Sincere views were held by those who both support and oppose a ban on cosmetic docking and our preference is that there should continue to be freedom of choice."

However, the Countryside Alliance and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation lobbied the Govt to save docking for working dogs at the expense of show dogs. Then 88% of MPs (even those who previously said they favoured choice) voted in favour of banning docking with exemptions for working dogs. The result, animal suffering such as endured by poor Toad today.

The only difference I have found between Batty, who has no tail, and Toad, who has a full tail, is that Batty can't balance when he has a crap and tends to do a trail. Toad, on the other hand can balance and drops a nice pile! Meanwhile, his tail is making him suffer, us suffer, and anyone under 3ft tall suffer.