Credit crunch is a Christmas party-pooper

Britain's £9bn Christmas party market has been brought to its knees by the credit crunch and bankers' reluctance to be seen celebrating in the wake of taxpayer bail-outs. Research by the organisers of International Confex, the exhibition for companies that stage events, has found that demand for Christmas parties is down by an estimated 40 per cent this year - The Daily Telegraph ​

The government has not ruled out setting minimum prices for alcohol sold in supermarkets, the home secretary, Jacqui Smith said. She told MPs the measure would not be introduced during the economic downturn but ministers had not "closed off that option for the future" - The Guardian ​

Orchid, the £571 million private equity-owned pub group that includes the Country Carvery and Sri Thai chains, collapsed into administration at the weekend, putting about 1,200 jobs at risk. PricewaterhouseCoopers, Orchid's administrator, immediately sold 240 of the group's 287 pubs back to GI Partners, Orchid's private equity backer, saving 5,300 jobs. However, the rest of the group's staff will lose their jobs unless a buyer can be found for the remaining pubs - The Times ​

Alcohol appears to trigger violent behaviour in people who have a particular overactive gene. The MAOA gene produces an enzyme that breaks down brain chemicals involved with mood. When alcohol is mixed with high levels of the enzyme it can create a 'dangerous cocktail', according to new research. The finding raises the possibility that people could be screened for the gene and offered treatment, behavioural therapy or be warned to abstain from alcohol - The Daily Telegraph​

Booze cruises are fast becoming a thing of the past. The fall in the Pound on top of the recession means there is much less advantage for most people in coming to France to buy their alcohol - The Sun ​