Licensing Act not fuelling rise in drinking, poll shows
The licensing law changes have not fuelled an increase in drinking and the majority of people do not want them reversed, a new poll shows.
Seventy eight per cent said they drink about the same amount as they did before the new Licensing Act and 12 per cent drink less, according to the YouGov poll for the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).
Only three per cent said they drink more.
More than three quarters (76 per cent) do not want to see the new laws abolished and a return to fixed closing times.
Eighty three per cent said the change in the licensing law has not changed how often they go out.
Rob Hayward, chief executive of the BBPA said: "This poll supports the hard data we have on the nation's alcohol consumption.
"Since the Licensing Act was introduced the amount we drink has fallen in each of the last two years by a total of more than five per cent. What people are saying in this poll fully reflects that trend."
Respondents to the poll also noticed positive changes to pubs. More than half said pub menus and food had improved.
Four in 10 said they are more family friendly - 44 per cent of 35-44 year-olds and 51 per cent of 45-54 year-olds said this was the case.
A third said they think pubs now appeal to a wider range of customers than they did two years ago.
People feel strongly about the role of the pub in the community. Fifty eight per cent say pubs are a national institution and an important part of our cultural heritage.
Nearly four in ten said pubs play an important part in their community and four in ten said they are the best place to meet and socialise with friends - nearly half of 18-24 year olds said this is their experience.
The poll also identifies significant changes in drinking patterns and behaviour.
One in five say they now feel under less pressure to drink quickly.
Thirteen per cent say they are now more likely to stay a bit later in a local pub rather than go into a town centre. This is more prominent among younger age groups, with nearly one in five (19%) of 18-34 year olds saying this is a feature of their social life.
"It is now two years since the new Act came into force and what we can see is that flexible hours are starting to have a beneficial influence on behaviour and experience," said Hayward.
"Taking out the pressure and pinch points associated with restricted hours and fixed closing times is resulting in people feeling under less pressure on their nights out.
"While the term '24 hour drinking' remains an obsession of headline writers, it is a million miles away from the day-to-day experience of pubs and their customers."
On another topical issue, people are firmly opposed to a 10 per cent increase in alcohol taxes - as proposed by the Alcohol Health Alliance a fortnight ago - by a margin of about two to one.
