Just one prosecution for serving drunks

The small number of licensees prosecuted for serving drunks shows pubs are acting responsibly.

That's the view of trade leader Tony Payne in response to new figures that show just one licensee has been prosecuted for selling alcohol to a drunk since the Licensing Act went live in 2005.

Eighteen police authorities have not issued any penalty notices for selling alcohol to a drunk.

Overall just 47 penalty notices were issued last year for the offence.

The Conservative Party said the figures, revealed in a Parliamentary question, show "Labour has utterly failed to get a grip on the alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder that plagues our streets"​.

But Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations, highlighted one nightclub that turned away 190 people in one night who appeared to be drunk.

"The trade is being very responsible. It's always difficult to tell when someone is drunk but the licensed trade has been very vigilant about it.​

"What they [politicians] should concentrate on is people drinking on the streets who aren't buying alcohol from pubs."