Watershed ban is not the answer

Even at the height of my teddy collecting days, I can honestly say that following George, the Hofmeister bear, held all the appeal of being pinned down by the teeth of a nit comb. Oddly enough, surrounded by a gang of Cockney geezers, hoping for a swig from his lurid yellow can, George did seem to have his fans - but I certainly couldn't relate to their rub-a-dub chit-chatting. I suspect the same is true for the children campaigners say are now being exposed to drinks advertising. Years of intense scrutiny mean no one - not even adults - have to be subjected to bears wearing dodgy velour jackets, which can only be a good thing.

The industry has swallowed less welcome restrictions and is already banned from advertising during TV programmes where children might account for more than 20% of viewers. Alcohol Concern wants more action, and is calling for drinks commercials to be banned before the 9pm TV watershed.

The move, the organisation said, would give parents peace of mind. Another route to parental nirvana, voiced to me by an impartial observer, could be to switch off the TV.

Perhaps a better, and less extreme, way forward is to put down the sledgehammer and work out a different way to crack the nut. The trade is starting to embrace a continental approach - offering more food, welcoming families and other groups along with varying opening hours. The emphasis should be on extending this mind-set further through education, rather than closeting the alcohol away in a locked cabinet that's too tall to see into until you reach a certain height. Not many kids would be able to resist the temptation of sneaking a quick peek.

Already drinks companies are exploring new ways of reaching consumers, particularly via real-life experiences such as sponsored events - and more will no doubt follow suit if they are sidelined any further by traditional advertising.