Industry trade bodies last night warned that new legislation on alcohol promotions would lead to an increase in pub closures.
Rob Hayward, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “We are encouraged that the government is seeking to focus on banning irresponsible promotions and urge them to ensure these measures cover everyone who retails alcohol.
“However, other mandatory code proposals will impose an unnecessary, disproportionate and costly red-tape burden on well run community pubs. They will condemn more pubs to closure and put more people out of work.”
Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, highlighted that supermarkets were the main culprits of irresponsible offers and called on the government to ban below cost selling, as well as to clarify some of the measures such as banning promotions specific to certain groups.
Bish said: “We’ll have to wait on the details of the Home Office consultation. I suppose that we can see a small chink of light, in what has otherwise been a pretty dark couple of weeks - the government has at least decided against a blanket ban on ‘happy hours’.
“Licensees should be able to run their pubs and bars for the benefit of their customers without unnecessary and burdensome government regulations.
“We know that the vast majority of pubs and bars retail in a responsible manner, and that the real problem behind irresponsible drinking is the sales policy of supermarkets that flood our streets, parks and playgrounds with cheap alcohol.”
Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations chief executive Tony Payne said: “There are a range of proposals here that are going to make life very difficult for licensees and barstaff.”
Stephen Robertson, the director general of the British Retail consortium was also critical of the moves to ban “buy one, get one free” deals.
He said: “Controls on price and promotions will not tackle alcohol abuse. They just penalise millions of customers who drink perfectly responsibly.”
