BII membership numbers hit record high
Membership of the BII (the British Institute of Innkeeping), has hit 17,200 its highest ever figure and the trade is still flocking to join. "We are delighted with the growth in membership not just from licensees and their staff but from BDMs and senior management in pubcos and brewers, training professionals and the wider off-trade, hotel and restaurant sectors, who not only want to be recognised as professionals but who demand professional support from their membership organisation in these very challenging times," said chief executive John McNamara.
Business bosses call for paid-for policing
Business leaders in Dudley, West Midlands, have spoken in favour of pubs contributing to policing costs in the town. Speaking in response to last month's report from the Home Affair's Select Committee that recommended a levy for extra police, Dudley Chamber of Commerce blamed pubs for the problems of late-night disorder. Chamber of Commerce director George Munro said: "In this country we may aspire to have a café culture, but in reality it's a pub and club culture, with the emphasis on alcohol drinking.
New anti-spiking glass is developed
A new glass, said to prevent drink spiking, has been developed. The glass, called Hollow, looks like a normal glass, but the drink is stored in a "double wall" around the perimeter of the container. The centre of the glass is hollow and bottomless, so anything that is put in to the container would fall to the floor. Liquid can be poured into the glass via a special nozzle, which filters the drink into the safe compartment.
Portman launches safety campaign
Responsible drinking organisation the Portman Group has launched a new poster campaign focusing on women's safety. The poster will appear in more than 500 pub washrooms around the country for one month. Pubs and bars that will feature the ad include the Scream, Revolution and O'Neills brands. The poster, which features the strapline "Who's looking out for you?" conveys the message that drinking too much could make young women vulnerable to danger.
Warning of drinking's mixed messages
The media's portrayal of drinking and alcohol is sending mixed messages to youngsters about the dangers of excessive drinking. That is the finding of a new report by drugs charity DrugScope. The report points to the news media's portrayal of excessive drinking as a social problem, in particular through tabloid stories about binge drinking. But it also notes how heavy drinking is an "integral part" of the subject matter for "lads" magazines such as Nuts, Loaded, Zoo and FHM.
