Trade blasts calls to raise drinking age

Calls for the legal drinking age to be raised from 18 to 21 years have been blasted as "ridiculous" and "stupid" by industry leaders.

They said any change in the current law would undermine the trade's work on ID and under-age sales and drive the problem underground.

Others said the mechanics of raising the age limit would be unworkable and increase the work of agencies trying to control teenagers' access to alcohol.

The calls came this week from an independent think-tank, the Institute of Public Policy Research, in an article written by their columnist Jasper Gerrard.

Gerrard said binge-drinking has become a major problem and accuses the government of "losing the plot" when it comes to regulating alcohol.

BII chief executive John McNamara said the move would undo all the trade's good work on ID and under-age sales. "If we are going to see Challenge 21 suddenly becoming Challenge 25, that would be ridiculous," he said.

Bar Entertainment & Dance Association executive director Paul Smith added: "This would drive under-age drinking underground and increase proxy purchases of alcohol. The current sensible drinking message we're sending out is more effective."

Federation of Licensed Victuallers chief executive Tony Payne labelled the idea "fairly stupid" and said the mechanics of changing the law would be unworkable.

"Eighteen-year-olds pay taxes, vote and join the army - yet the suggestion is that they are not mature enough to drink sensibly," he argued.

The Government has said it has no plans to raise the current drinking age.