What the Sunday papers say

The Sunday Times

• The Dasani water affair has been a disaster for Coca-Cola with plans for the British launch and a European invasion both canned. Two weeks ago it was revealed that Coke had recalled all Dasani water after tests had found the product contained excessive levels of bromate, which can increase the risk of cancer.

Edinburgh, the stag and hen party capital of the UK, is stuck in a dilemma. While the Scottish capital is reaping economic benefits from the influx of tourists coming in for stag and hen parties, it is becoming apparent that revellers are putting off a large percentage of Edinburgh's regular trade.

The French wine trade is calling for greater freedom to advertise as it seeks to halt plummeting exports and declining domestic consumption.

The Independent on Sunday​

• Relaxed licensing laws, which will be introduced when the Licensing Act comes into force in 2005, will simply make the problems of binge drinking worse. Writer Jonathan Rendall argues a 24-hour drinking can be found in London if you look for the right bars.

The Business​

• Enterprise Inns shareholders will meet this week to vote on the acceptance of the long-awaited full purchase of Unique pub company. Enterprise currently owns 16.86% of the Unique and buying the remainder will lead to the creation of the UK's biggest pub estate. The value of Enterprise's current stake in Unique has risen from £75m in 2002 to £121m today.

The Observer​

• Police in Ireland have reacted angrily to the new Irish smoking ban, which came into force today. A spokesman for the police called the ban "the most ill-conceived piece of legislation ever conceived in this country".

Sky television is poised to gain complete control of TV coverage of British horseracing, following the collapse of the Attheraces consortium earlier this month. Sky plans to screen horseracing on a new racing channel and may well look to negotiate deals with individual racecourses.

Sunday Express​

• There has been mixed reaction to the Irish smoking ban with one pub punter saying: "It's the end of social life as we know it." However, another said: "None of our family smokes so we don't go to the pub for family meals. Now we will."

PepsiCo has had its attempts to launch its bottled water Aquafina into the UK thwarted by its UK distributor Britvic Soft Drinks.

Sunday Telegraph​

• A pub goer in Dublin reacted to the smoking ban in Ireland by pointing to a picture of author James Joyce and saying: "He would have had a few vulgar words to say about it [the ban] too". Other regulars have called the ban "the end of the craic".