'Police warning over pub break-ins'

Police have warned landlords that a series of break-ins at public houses in Lincolnshire may be connected. Thieves stole £200 and bottles of spirits from the Spinning Wheel in Church Street, Baston, on Sunday night. The Plough Inn on Bourne Road, Spalding, was also broken into on Monday night. Fruit machines were ripped open but nothing was taken. Several pubs in the Grantham, Spalding, Holbeach St Marks and Bourne areas were targeted in January - BBC​

Moves to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol in Scotland may be illegal, according to the Law Society of Scotland. The society, which represents and regulates Scottish solicitors, believes that fixing a minimum price for a unit of alcohol may be reserved to Westminster and out with the devolved powers of Holyrood, because it deals with the sale of goods to consumers rather than a pure licensing matter - The Times​

Controversial plans to introduce minimum prices for alcohol depend on the result of an internal struggle among Labour MSPs. The Scotsman has learned that some of them might be prepared to support the SNP's flagship proposal. That is despite Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, coming out against advice from his chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, to introduce minimum pricing south of the border - The Scotsman​

Higher beer taxes and the slowing economy caused UK liquor consumption to decline for the fourth time in five years, the British Beer and Pub Association said today, arguing that the drop means the government should avoid raising levies further. Total consumption fell 3.2 per cent to 8.9 litres (2.3 gallons) of pure alcohol per person last year, the London-based industry group said today in an e-mailed statement, citing data from UK tax authorities. The decline led to an 804 million-pound reduction in the cost of alcohol-related harm to the economy, the group said - Bloomberg ​

Janet Street-Porter writes "Referring to bottles of spirits, strong beer and wine in the same breath as food staples is part of the problem. Sir Liam is right - alcohol is now too cheap and too strong, and in the UK (like many northern European countries with cool climates) we tend to drink to get drunk unlike Mediterranean cultures where people sip rather than slurp. In Scotland, plans have already been announced to introduce minimum prices for alcohol, so why not in England? - The Independent​