In yet another attack on drinkers, The Publican reports that the government are planning to introduce drinking licences as a means of curbing binge-drinking and alcohol-related disorder.
As part of a move to cut binge-drinking the government is proposing that pub customers carry a card licensing them to drink outside their own homes.
The Publican has seen draft documents apparently drawn up by pubs minister John Healey in which he outlined proposals to ensure anyone over the age of 18 entering a pub carries the credit card-sized ‘drinking licence’.
Sources within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that such a customer licensing proposal had been discussed with a view to tackling the UK’s binge-drinking culture.
“We are looking at several ways to curb irresponsible drinking, and this is just one of the options on the table.
“If everyone who wants to drink in a pub carries a licence of the sort we are considering, it will make the job of policing trouble-spots that much easier,” the source said.
Of course, in fact this was an April Fool. But, when we have seen genuine proposals to require people to obtain an official permit to buy cigarettes, and to be issued with personal alcohol ration cards, it is too close to the truth to be funny. In a few years’ time, will I be saying “You read it here first”?
Edit: And this is post #500! :-)